2019 Guigal Côtes Du Rhône Rouge

Maison Guigal was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in Ampuis, a small, ancient village at the heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation. It consists of unique vineyards where vines and wine have been celebrated for over 2,400 years.

In 1961, his son Marcel Guigal took over management of the domain when his father was struck by temporary but total blindness. He was joined in 1973 by his wife, Bernadette, and they worked hand-in-hand to expand the family business. In 1975, their son Philippe was born and today he is the domain’s oenologist. Together with his wife, Eve, Phillippe represents the third generation and continues the family’s lifetime endeavor to be at the service of the greatest wines of the Rhône valley. Today Maison Guigal is synonymous with exceptional quality wines of remarkable value for every Rhône appellation.

Côtes du Rhône is sometimes called a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape. The appellation includes the red varieties of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise, and Carignnan. Several white varieties are also permitted in the region. Among them are Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier.

The 2019 Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge is a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. The grapes were grown in varied soil consisting of sediment, limestone and granite with many pebbles and alluvial deposits. The average age of the grape vines is 35 years.

The wine was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks for several weeks. The wine was then aged in neutral oak for 24-30 months before being bottled.

The resulting wine is described by the winemaker thus, “Deep and dark red. Shiny. Aromas of fresh fruits with red berries and spices. Full, round, and racy. Rounded and smooth tannins. A full-bodied, rich and intensely aromatic wine. Full with a long finish and plenty of elegance and finesse due to the well balanced tannins and fruit.”

This wine was awarded 90 points by Decanter and 92 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

This wine will pair well with cold meats, game bird and cheese.

The wine has an aging potential of 8 years.