Domaine Brusset is a relatively large producer in Rhone. This wine is from an appelation in Southern Rhone called Gigondas created in 1971. Unlike Northern Rhone, which employs solely Syrah. The wine would probably be a combination of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carrigane and Cinsault. On the nose, some cherry liqueur or kirsch character popped out mixing with some earthy barnyard but the wine was not giving much. I deliberately aired the wine before tasting but still…more cherry fruit and dry berry/flower characters came out upon tasting. It has a medium to full body followed with some astringency characters like bitter lemon/tangerine. The tannin is sandy, mouth coating and immediately dried out the tongue. The finish is relatively short and leaving my mouth dry. The style is traditional and backward. I fail once again why the both WA and WS rated this wine so high (93 and 94 points respectively) in the past. (87-89 points) rated by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review.

The 1999 Montirius from Gigondas of Southern Rhone is made up of 80% granache and 20% Mourvedre from organically farmed vines that average over 55 years of age so this wines has no Syrah or Cinsault as other Gigondas might have. The nose gave out a high indcation of the Greneach varietal…cherry liqueur, sweet black cherry, cherry cough syrup but also has many old style Sourthern Rhone characteristics, that’s much dry fruits, dry herbs, earth and tar(?). When tasted, the sweet red cherry fruits and dry herbs and flowers tastes came out along with burnt earth, incense smoke and dark chocolate. The relatively high alcohol level of 14.5% stood out which means this medium body wine do not have enough fruits, structure and depth to ‘hide’ the alcohol. The finish is fair but not particularly long. Viewers who have this wine from their cellar should drink it up now.