Guigal

Background: Founded in 1946 by Etienne. Came to the town of Ampuis when he was 14. Worked the vineyards for Guigal Fleurie. Marcel took over from Etienne when he was 17 because his father went blind. Marcel had one child, Philipe, who is now 36. Philipe has had twin boys.
Family controlled, a proprietary negociant.
Ampuis is the northern most viticultural region in the northern Rhone.

Aside from La Mouline we didn't taste:

La Landonne:
much larger than Mouline.

La Turque:
1.5ha. most exotic of all the wines. ‘Turkish tobacco?’

• 2012 E. Guigal Condrieu

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Lots of peach aromas. Lots of body to the palate. has a little bit of an edge to the palate. not spice, but some mineral, exotic pepper notes. 1973 was the first Guigal Condrieu. ‘Rich without being heavy.’ Lots of Magnesium and Limestone in the soil.

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• 2011 E. Guigal St. Joseph

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  earthy and dark raspberry aromas. Not so much pepper showing on the nose. A little bit of astringent black pepper to the palate, but not tons. Fruit, but more earth than fruit on the palate.

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• 2010 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  wow, complexity to the aromas. Earth, pepper, depth of fruit, red fruit, black fruit, plum aromas. Very nuanced pepper and citrus. Palate still has to unfurl a bit more. Terraces built by the Romans in 500BC. Syrah interplanted with Viognier. Up to 20% of the plants in an area could be planted Viognier traditionally. Viognier is not as needed any longer because of better vinification techniques. Open top fermenters would blow off aromatics. Currently about 4% Viognier in the blend now.

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• 2009 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  in the cotes blonde. 1ha total. 42 months in new oak. No fining no filtering. No Viognier. 100% Stem retention. Very dark and deep fruit. Purple, plum fruit tones. A touch confected. Some spice cake notes. Oldest Cote Rotie going back to 1908. Vines over 100yrs old.

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• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Some sweet corn aromas off the nose. Raspberry aromas. Such nuanced pepper to the palate. Lots of life. Med/- Tannin, super fine tannin. Palate shows red fruit and earth. Thanks!!

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