91-93pts Vinous
Fragrant orange blossom, dried herbs, forest strawberry, and licorice introduce the 2023 Terrasse du Diable, a seductive and promising red with spot-on balance and ample substance. I can’t wait to taste it once bottled. Readers should note that no Racines was made in 2023. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2035  - By Nicolas Greinacher on September 2024

High in the rugged hills of the Dentelles de Montmirail lies the dramatic terroir behind Terrasses du Diable, the second flagship cuvée of Domaine Les Pallières. Farmed by the legendary Brunier family (of Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape) in partnership with Kermit Lynch, this bottling takes its name from the estate’s steep, stony “devil’s terraces,” where gnarled old Grenache vines cling to limestone scree at 300–400 meters of elevation. The extreme altitude and poor, rocky soils produce naturally low yields and a striking balance of ripeness and freshness, making Terrasses du Diable one of the most distinctive and age-worthy wines of Gigondas.

The 2023 vintage offered a near-perfect growing season in the Southern Rhône, with ample spring rains replenishing water reserves, followed by a warm but not overly hot summer that ensured steady, even ripening. Old-vine Grenache (around 80%) forms the core of the blend, supported by Syrah and Cinsault, all harvested by hand and fermented with native yeasts in traditional concrete vats. The wine is then aged for 18–20 months in large, neutral foudres, a classic approach that polishes tannins and preserves the pure voice of the high-altitude terroir.

In the glass, Terrasses du Diable 2023 is a vivid, deep garnet, releasing an arresting bouquet of wild blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry, laced with the hallmark Gigondas scents of garrigue herbs, cracked pepper, and warm stones. On the palate, it is at once powerful and vibrant, offering dark plum, ripe raspberry, licorice, and graphite over a taut spine of mineral-driven acidity. Fine, chalky tannins provide impressive structure, while a cool, stony freshness carries the finish for minutes, hinting at the wine’s mountain origins and long aging potential.

This is a Gigondas of both intensity and finesse, showing the wild beauty of the Dentelles in every sip. While delicious now with a decant and dishes like roast lamb, duck confit, or rosemary-scented venison, it will reward 10–15 years of cellaring as it unfolds deeper layers of spice, smoke, and forest floor. Terrasses du Diable 2023 is a thrilling reminder that the heights of Gigondas can rival even Châteauneuf-du-Pape for complexity and longevity, all while retaining an unmistakable sense of place.