Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent's policy of extremely low levels of SO2 at bottling, in addition to no racking (until assemblage prior to bottling), fining, or filtration, has worked wonders with the 1995 and 1996 Gigondas. The 1995 Gigondas (125 cases produced from extremely old vines) is a 70% Grenache/30% Mourvedre blend that achieved 14.7% alcohol naturally. The wine, impressive from barrel last year, is singing from bottle in 1997! It is a classic example of a large-scaled, succulent, juicy, full-bodied Gigondas bursting with herb-tinged black cherry and plum-like fruit. Broad and intense, with impressive layers of extract, glycerin, and alcohol, this wine is about as hedonistic as Gigondas can be. The wine is relatively soft, but I am sure some formidable tannin is disguised by the wine's level of fruit and extract. This Gigondas will keep for 12-15 years, but I don't see how purchasers will resist it. As a postscript, readers should be aware that all the Tardieu-Laurent wines reviewed in this segment are very reasonably priced.A Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris fax # 011 33 1 42843822), various American importers