E. Guigal

Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2015

Cotes du Rhone

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The Guigal family owns some of the most hallowed vineyards in the Rhône Valley and the world and makes some of the most sought-after wines in the world. Yet you are undoubtedly more likely to spend time with them speaking about their Côtes du Rhône Rouge. Given that this particular wine can be the introduction to the entire Rhône Valley for a drinker, as well as the position the Guigals occupy in the Rhône Valley, it is not enough for the Guigals to make a good Côtes du Rhône. They are relentlessly driven to produce a distinctive and outstanding wine that drives interest in exploring the entirety of the Rhône.

The Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge offers tremendous warmth, spice and pleasure, but in a decidedly individual fashion. It is, unlike virtually every other Côtes du Rhône, based on Syrah, a Northern Rhône approach that lends greater aromatic intensity and structure, though is far more difficult and costly to produce in the Southern Rhône. The aging also goes far other wine in the appellation in its category, a minimum of two years in a combination of stainless steel and foudres, with a deliberate blending over the course of that time that results in a wine of remarkable harmony and complexity. It is an extraordinary value and a benchmark for the region from one of the world’s most lauded producers.

Vineyard

The soils are varied among the 80 growers that Guigal consistently works with, 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. The final composition of the 2015 is 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre.

Winemaking

Guigal ages their Côtes du Rhône Rouge for a full 18 months before release, in oak barrels. This results in a wine of unusual complexity, with a substantial and generous palate.

Traditional harvesting and temperature controlled vinification, followed by a long maceration.

Vintage

2015 is the best overall year in the Southern Rhône Valley since 2010, with good quantities of healthy fruit, ample ripeness – the challenge was managing the long, hot season- and many pockets where the wines go beyond good to very good and outstanding. The generous richness is tempered by Guigal’s long aging and development of the savory, spicy characteristics of the fruit they select. In our opinion, this 2015 Côtes du Rhône will go down as one of the greatest Guigal has produced, along with the 1998 and 2005 (both of which are, remarkably, still going strong).

Tasting Note

Deep and dark red. On the nose intensely aromatic, with black fruits and spices. The palate is full, round and yet also racy. Round and smooth tannins present through the full bodied, ample wine. Overall a complete wine, with a long finish, with elegance and finesse accompanying the abundance of fruit and well-balanced tannins.

Food Pairing

What can we say, we have a passion for the city of Lyon. 30 minutes from the Guigal cellars in Ampuis, Lyon can call itself the gastronomic heart of France. The birthplace of French haute cuisine, but a cuisine in general always focused around incredible ingredients properly handled more than a sense of formal stuffiness. And this love of food imbues the every day to an incredible extent. Spectacular charcuterie, patés, game, fruits and vegetables; it’s a cornucopia for wine and food lovers. The culture is warm and friendly, the cuisine reflects that sentiment, and a Côtes du Rhône Rouge from Guigal – an everyday experience turned exceptional. You can find here a few fun charcuterie tips from a friend of Guigal.

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah

Appellation

Cotes du Rhone

Farming

For nearly 4 decades Guigal has used only environmentally sustainable methods of pest, disease and weed control. They work to conserve biological diversity, water resources, soils and ecosystems on their land. Packaging materials are recyclable or biodegradable. Lastly, they are committed to achieving a zero waste target.

Alcohol

14%

Suggested Retail Price

$18

Reviews

"Beyond what you’d expect from the general appellation"

Wine & Spirits - December 5, 2019 "Given that the Guigals have close relationships with some 80 farmers up and down the Rhône Valley, perhaps it’s not surprising that they make a good Côtes du Rhône red. Still, this one goes far beyond what you’d expect from the general appellation. The scent alone is enticing, warm and inviting in its complex mix of fruit, spice and earth; the flavors weave spice, earth and violet tones through vivid berry flavors. Sandy tannins keep the wine firm and lasting. In fact, you might want to tuck a few bottles into your cellar."

"Concentrated yet silky"

Jeb Dunnuck - May 30, 2019 "Leading off the reds, the 2015 Côtes du Rhône is mostly Syrah yet has a big dose of 40% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre. It’s another terrific vintage from this wine which rarely misses. Ripe black fruits, peppery herbs, and lavender notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, concentrated yet silky wine. Drink it any time over the coming decade."

"Finishes long and silky"

Wine Advocate - October 31, 2018 “As usual, the 2015 Cotes du Rhone features a majority of Syrah, largely sourced from the western side of the Rhône. Spicy, peppery, hickory aromas lead off, adding berries up front and then moving into darker fruit and more savory notes of black olive by the finish. This medium to full-bodied wine finishes long and silky, avoiding any of the vintage’s hard tannins, while still boasting the concentration to drink well through at least 2023.”

"Sappy, gently sweet dark fruit flavors"

Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media - August 8, 2018 "Brilliant ruby. Vibrant cherry and cassis aromas are complicated by licorice, violet and floral nuances. Sappy, gently sweet dark fruit flavors show very good energy, and a peppery nuance adds lift and spicy bite. Finishes smoky and long, with supple tannins sneaking in late to add shape."

More on E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2015

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Wine Pick of the Week: 2015 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône

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Trade Materials

Other Wines by this Producer

Côtes du Rhône Blanc

Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône Blanc both sets and steps outside the standard for the appellation and showcases one of the great secrets of the Guigal family: their specialization in the great white Rhône varieties. While only 8% of the Rhône's production is white, a full 25% of Guigal’s production is white and they are today the single largest producer of whites in the Rhône Valley.

Côtes du Rhône Rosé

The Guigal family has made serious dry rosé wines since the 1940s, and their Côtes du Rhône Rosé, like all their Côtes du Rhône wines, is humble in name only. The wine bursts with irresistible fresh red fruits and yet is also serious and satisfying. While this Rosé is always a lovely aperitif, its intensity and richness make it perfect for the table, and it pairs well with all manner of cuisines. And starting with the 2020 vintage, the wine has a stunning new proprietary bottle: a subtle enhancement for an already elegant wine!

Saint Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice

Saint-Joseph

Guigal’s Vignes de l’Hospice is one of the finest sites in the Northern Rhone Valley. This steeply terraced vineyard used to be divided into three, but Guigal now owns majority of this parcel in order to restore perception of Saint-Joseph as an appellation of utmost quality. In fact, Guigal is often asked when they will produce a fourth “LaLa,” and their response is that their fourth single vineyard phenomenon of the Northern Rhone is already being produced: the Vignes de l’Hospice.

Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Rouge

Saint-Joseph

A result of its quality, Guigal’s Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Rouge comes from the “Saint-Joseph” vineyard that gives the appellation its name. This site convinced the Guigals to work in Saint-Joseph and help to restore the historic perception of Saint-Joseph as an appellation of utmost quality. The 100% Syrah wine has complex and deep black fruit, floral, spice and mineral characteristics. Despite its concentration and powerful attack, the wine retains the trademark elegance that Saint-Joseph offers.

Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc

Saint-Joseph

A result of its quality, Guigal’s Saint-Joseph Blanc Lieu Dit comes from the “Saint-Joseph” vineyard that gives the appellation its name. This site convinced the Guigals to work in Saint-Joseph and help to restore the historic perception of Saint-Joseph as an appellation of utmost quality. Saint-Joseph Blanc is a serious wine, with weight and complexity, and is deeply reflective of its vineyard sites. A seamless balance of freshness and fruitiness, pleasure and interest, and flavors and structure. Guigal’s specialty in whites is especially evident in this wine, as it is almost a deceptively serious wine.

Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc

Hermitage

Ermitage Ex-Voto represents the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Marcel Guigal’s to own vineyard land on the hill of Hermitage. Through the purchase of the de Vallouit and J. L. Grippat domaines in 2000, Guigal acquired four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site. The 2001 vintage was the first release of this estate-bottled Hermitage red and white. The quality of the intense old-vine fruit is quite special, but given the Guigal’s already strong work in Hermitage, they decided to only release an Ex-Voto red or white when the wine is utterly exceptional and clearly superior to their appellation bottlings.

Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge

Hermitage

Ermitage Ex-Voto represents the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Marcel Guigal’s to own vineyard land on the hill of Hermitage. Through the purchase of the de Vallouit and J. L. Grippat domaines in 2000, Guigal acquired four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site. The 2001 vintage was the first release of this estate-bottled Hermitage red and white. The quality of the intense old-vine fruit is quite special, but given the Guigal’s already strong work in Hermitage, they decided to only release an Ex-Voto red or white when the wine is utterly exceptional and clearly superior to their appellation bottlings.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Guigal produces an intensely concentrated, inviting and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is almost unique to the region today. Their passion for Châteauneuf, the leading appellation of the Southern Rhône, runs as deeply as that for their home sites in the Northern Rhône. The combination of working with top fruit that has perfect ripeness, along with their extraordinary patience in the cellar, results in rich and full, yet savory, spicy, seamless and balanced wines. Wines to enjoy immediately but capable of aging, and, above all, wines that leave you wanting more.

Condrieu La Doriane

Condrieu

La Doriane is a luxury cuvée of Condrieu that the Guigals have produced since the 1994 vintage. A great success since the first vintage, the wine always seems richly oaked and very fruity when young, transforming in 3-4 years into a seamlessly complex, aromatic and vibrant wine. La Doriane contradicts the accepted wisdom that Condrieu does not age well.