Domaine Giraud is a relative newcomer in the Southern Rhone, crafting its first wine in 1974 from 4 hectares of rented vines and producing its first estate cuvee in 1998 under second generation siblings Marie and Francois Giraud. Spanning over 17 hectares spread over 64 separate parcels across the appellation, Giraud's estate owned vineyards are planted with vines averaging 60-80 years of age in a diverse mix of pebble, sand, clay, and limestone soils, each parcel farmed organically with minimal treatments and managed manually from harvesting to sorting.
Sourced primarily from old-vine Grenache including parcels in Les Gallimardes and La Crau, the elegant 2020 Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition Rouge is a blend of 80% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre aged for 18 months in cement vats and 15% Syrah matured in used Bordeaux barriques and bottled without filtering or fining, crafted in a vineyard-driven style with "relatively simple, unadorned winemaking" according to Wine Advocate's Joe Czerwinski with fine-grained tannins that frame the intense, luscious fruit and predict a long and satisfying evolution in the cellar.
A small-production cuvee that wasn't produced at all in 2021 due to frost damage, the enticing 95-point 2020 Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Gallimardes Rouge comes from a terroir-expressive vintage "producing athletic, elegant wines of intensity and panache" according to Decanter's Matt Walls, an under-the-radar gem priced far below the region's higher profile estates and expertly crafted to reward savvy collectors with over a decade of pleasurable drinking ahead.
Perfumed and floral, with alluring high-toned cherry pie and raspberry tart interwoven with warm earth, licorice root and a refined iron mineral streak. The structure sneaks up on the palate, cleaning up the finish and driving good length. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2032. 350 cases imported.
93 points, Kristen Bieler, Wine Spectator (Dec 2022)
A fruity nose with notes of strawberries, raspberries, cured meat, bark and peppercorns. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins. Well-balanced and structured. Layered with freshness and vivacity on the mid-palate and a focused, salivating finish with excellent length. From organically grown grapes. 80% grenache, 15% syrah and 5% mourvedre. Unfiltered. Drink or hold.
93 points, James Suckling (May 2023)
Leading off the 2020 Châteauneuf du Papes, the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape from Giraud is 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 5% Mourvedre. It shows the pure, supple, charming style of the vintage perfectly and is medium to full-bodied, has soft tannins, lots of darker berry fruits, notes of sappy garrigue and pepper, and outstanding length. A quintessential Châteauneuf du Pape, it will continue drinking well for 10-12 years.
92 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Nov 2022)
Stating 15.5% alcohol on the label, the modern-styled 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition is a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre. Pale ruby-colored, swirling the glass unveils aromas of cooked red and black fruits, crème de cassis and cloves. Showcasing slightly coarse tannins, this full-bodied red maintains a good level of freshness through crisp acidity.
91 points, Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous (Jun 2023)
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