As described by someone with a great fondness for the place, “Les Pallières is a wonderful vine garden that clings to the rear of the Dentelles de Montmirail limestone cliffs”.
A garden of 62 acres masterly planted by Hilarion Roux amid a northwest-facing Mediterranean forest, of which 272 acres is part and parcel of Les Pallières’ atmosphere.
A garden created and cultivated by the same family for centuries, where livestock farming and olive trees gradually gave way to vines. 
In 1998, opportunity called for the Brunier brothers and Kermit Lynch, and they became the owners of this superb locale, planted with Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Thus did the trio cement an association begun 20 years earlier, when the first cases of Vieux Télégraphe were imported to America.
Les Pallières was for them a new place with a new climate and exposure – a new terroir, in effect, but what charisma!
The first years were naturally devoted to restoring the vineyard. Nearly five acres of vines were pulled up: in so doing, the team listened to what the terroir told them, but also made room for a winery tailored to the style of wines they wanted to craft.
Four years later, the new vat room was built. It carefully respects their philosophy of gravity intake and of giving each parcel’s grapes very specific care, so that their diverse characters are reflected in bottle.
They have now found Les Pallières’ style – imposed by the landscape, by the influence of this very singular exposure, by the limestone scree that has rolled off the Dentelles’ foothills, mixed with sandy-clay soil in which the roots of the very old vines tap their resources.
At once gutsy and elegant, warm and mineral, this is a consummate Gigondas made for ageing.
A few years ago, the red was joined by a “Petit Bonheur”, a delightful little rosé Vin de Table made in the same spirit. Its creative foundations? What the terroir says to ear and eye.