93-95 points Vinous Media
Lurid ruby color. There are ripe red fruit, flora, incense and exotic spice qualities on the expansive, mineral-accented nose. Juicy, polished and alluringly sweet, this Gigondas displays seamless texture to its intense Chambord, cherry-cola, lavender pastille and Asian spice flavors, which convey a suave blend of power and delicacy. The mineral and floral notes carry through a strikingly long, precise finish that's given shape by delicate, well-knit tannins. Raised in a combination of Stockinger oak foudres and clay amphoras.

90-92pts Wine Advocate
Blended from eight sites on the plateau of Gigondas, the 2021 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits is a strong effort, with overtones of roses and garrigue to the cherry-berry notes. It's medium to full-bodied, ripe and silky in feel, with ample concentration and length.

Benjamin Gras described the 2021 vintage as "unusual, but good." According to Gras, the frost only impacted lower-lying vineyards, but what followed was a cool, cloudy summer that necessitated seven or eight treatments of the vines, then came 200 millimeters of rain in September.

One key development at this family-run estate is preparing to introduce a Gigondas Blanc to the lineup. A portion of the property's highest terrace, located at 350 meters above sea level, has been over-grafted to white varieties (90% Clairette and 10% Bourboulenc). It will be interesting to follow that wine going forward, as Gras already makes a successful white from those varieties in Roaix, fermenting and aging the wine in a mix of demi-muids and amphorae. "It [Clairette] is a floral variety, not a fruity one," said Gras. "I'm a big fan of that."

While Benjamin's father, Yves Gras, may still be spotted prowling around the property, his preference for bold, sometimes hulking wines has been completely replaced by his son's pursuit of lower alcohols and elegance. In 2021, admittedly a cool year, Benjamin says his reds will all be labeled at 13.5% alcohol.

Benjamin provided a quick window into how his wines have evolved by sharing a bottle of the domaine's 2017 Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille, a wine I have now had the chance to try on four separate occasions. As on previous tastings, it's silky and elegant, yet still youthful, capable of aging through 2035—a solid 93-point wine. As my notes were very similar to the last published review (in October 2020), I've not bothered to rereview the wine formally, but I simply mention this to reassure any consumers who might be concerned about how the new generation's wines might evolve.

Surface Area: 7 hectares.

Geology: Sand rich in red clay and coarse gravel from the colluvial Cône de la Font des Papes at Les Hautes Garrigues, Les Carbonnières, Les Rocassières and Les Routes.  Sandy soil rich in red clay, gravel and marl from the colluvial Cône de la Font des Papes and Trignon at Santa Duc.  Soils rich in fine matter, with grey pebbles, clay and sand with an influence from the Ouvèze terrace and, to a lesser extent, from the Cône de la Font des Papes at Les Pailleroudas.  Blue Pliocene marl from the end of the Tertiary period at Goujard and Plane.  Grey marl from the Cretaceous period, rich in limestone, at le Clos Derrière Vieille.

Method of cultivation: Ecocert-certified organic and Demeter-certified biodynamic.

Grape Varieties: Grenache 75%, Mourvèdre 13%, Syrah 10%, Cinsault 2%.

Age of Vines: Average 42 years.

Harvesting & Vinification: The grapes are hand-picked into crates and sorted manually in the vineyard before a second, table sorting in the cellar.  A proportion is destemmed, the quantity being determined by the nature of the vintage and the parcel, and the grapes are fed by gravity into the vats to ensure the integrity of the berries.  Fermentation takes place in thermo-regulated stainless-steel vats for 20 to 30 days, with two long pumping over sessions daily. Punching down is decided after tasting. Pressed pneumatically. Malolactic fermentation in vat. The wines are clarified by settling over winter in the cellar. Barrel filling occurs in the spring. 

Ageing: 18 months in 36-hectoliter oak Stockinger foudres, and 8-hectoliter terracotta amphorae. Unfined and unfiltered at bottling.