E. Guigal - Cotes du Rhone Rouge2013

RED WINE

Estate

The firm of E. Guigal, located in Ampuis, was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Since 1961 his son Marcel has led the estate, and his unparalleled work ethic and dedication to quality have brought attention to Cote-Rotie and other appellations throughout the Rhone that were in danger of being lost, and lifted the Guigal wines to the pinnacle of the wine world. Today, Marcel's son Philippe serves as Director and Oenologist, continuing the tradition of leadership in the Rhone Valley and uncompromising excellence.

Food pairing

Cold meats, meat, game bird and cheese

Soil type

Varied soil, sediment, limestone, granite. Pebbles and Alluvia.

Tasting notes

Eye : Deep and dark red. Shiny.
Nose : Fresh fruits with red berries and spices.
Palate : Full, round and racy. Rounded and smooth tannins. A full-bodied, rich and intensly aromatic wine.
Overall : Full with a long finish and plenty of elegance and finesse due to the well balanced tannins and fruit.

Vineyard

The soils are varied, consisting mainly sedimentary, limestone and granite soils, with many pebbles and alluvial deposits. The average yield is around 2.1 tons per acre, and the average age of the vines is 35 years.

Vinification

Guigal ages their Cotes du Rhone Rouge for a full two years (minimum) before release, almost unheard of in the Rhone. This expensive process results in a wine of unusual complexity, with a substantial and generous palate. After a long maceration and fermentation, aging takes place in oak foudres for 18 months.

Wine

Guigal's Cotes du Rhone Rouge sets the standard for the appellation. The Cotes du Rhone appellation applies to red, white, and rosé wines from vineyards throughout the Rhone Valley, comprising 90% of the region's production. Quality and style can vary widely. The Guigals select and blend cuvées from over 40 top growers, and their talent lies in the rigorous and exhaustive traveling and tasting they carry out. Ultimately they select only 1% of all wines they taste for their Cotes du Rhone: one lot out of every one hundred. Since the 1998 vintage the wine has been based on Syrah, a Northern Rhone approach to a wine that is almost always Grenache-based. This focus produces wines of greater aromatic intensity and structure, though is much more costly to produce given the particularities of growing Syrah in the Southern Rhone. The 2012 is 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, and 5% Mourvedre. Complex and deceptively ageworthy, Guigal's Cotes du Rhone Rouge is one of the world's greatest wine values.

Winemaking

Traditional winemakeing methods, temperature controlled fermentation. Long soaking on the skins.