From a single unbroken plot near the village of Gigondas, matured in old foudres for 18-24 months, producing a single wine - no special cuvées. It has a lovely nose, really detailed with vibrant damson compote and blackberries. Black cherries can also be coaxed out, alongside some lavender and dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied, really fresh and crisp, with a long, herbal finish. It's already dangerously drinkable and buzzes with life. Really top stuff, with a lightness of touch and elegance that some others lack this year.

(92-94 points) Similarly colored, the 2016 Gigondas (70% Grenache, 23% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre) will be a beautiful wine from this reference point estate, and I suspect ranking among the finest wines ever made from this address. A huge blast of black raspberries, cherries, dried earth, pepper, and graphite notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, incredibly pure Gigondas that has present tannins, a great mid-palate, and no hard edges. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.

Plummy and rich, the 2016 Gigondas is full-bodied and velvety, everything you might expect from this benchmark estate. Dense and powerful, my only reservation is its slightly chocolaty, fudge-like notes and elevated alcohol (15.5% alcohol). Like always, it starts off as a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre in the vineyard, although exact proportions can vary from year to year, depending on yields among the different varieties.- JC

Fresh flowers, herbs and sweet cherries round out the nose. Medium-bodied, sweet and jut a bit polished, this is already drinking quite nice. Produced from blending 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2016&wine=Domaine%20Raspail-Ay%20Gigondas