1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis Côte-Rôtie Rhône France Wine Tasting Note
13451 Views
|
1998
E. Guigal Château d'Ampuis (Côte-Rôtie)
Drinking right where it needs to be. It's easy to discover the fresh, ripe, sweet, cherries, black pepper and earthy characteristics that make up this soft textured, round, lively wine. It might not improve much from here, but it should remain at this level for another 7-10 more years. 3,090 Views Tasted Aug 16, 2015Black cherry, tar, kirsch liqueur, charcoal, pepper and bacon fat. Silky smooth with ripe cherries, plums, spice, fennel, cocoa and black raspberries are in the soft, voluptuous finish. this is drinking very well at the moment. It made a perfect pairing with rare, grilled, Flannery strip steaks and mushrooms. This is not that far off the level of quality found in the 1999 or 2003 Guigal Ampuis. By the, this wine was popped and poured. I worked on this wine for about one more hour after writing the initial note and upped its score a point. This is a very strong, stylish Cote Rotie. 4,090 Views Tasted Jul 20, 2012Licorice, flowers, spice, blackberry liqueur, truffle, smoke, plums and bacon fat aromas popped the moment the cork was pulled. rich, round, concentrated, stylish and filled with gobs of juicy, dark fruit and spice, this beautiful Cote Rotie is drinking perfectly today. It's not a La La, nor does it pretend to be. It's a wonderful Northern Rhone wine that is just now starting to show its stuff. 4,195 Views Tasted Oct 27, 2011Dark, rich colors with no lightening at the edges. Sappy aromas and hints of pepper, licorice, coffee and spicy, jammy fruit. Thick, rich and tannic. A good wine that will vastly improve over the next several years. 2,076 Views Tasted Aug 10, 2004 |
When to Drink Guigal Cote Rotie, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Some Guigal Cote Rotie can be enjoyed on the young side. The Brune & Blondeshould be decanted at least 1 hour or more, Guigal Ampuis 1-3 hours and the Guigal La La's can be decanted 3-4 hours when young, allowing the wines to soften and open their perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Guigal Cote Rotie is usually better with 3-5 years of cellaring for the Brune & Blonde, 5-10 years of cellaring for the Guigal Ampuis, and the top 3 wines, the La La's need at least 12-15 years of cellaring. At their best, the top Cote Rotie from Guigal can evolve for 25-45 years of age, depending on the wine and the vintage.
Serving Guigal Cote Rotie with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Guigal is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Guigal is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised, barbecue, and grilled dishes. Heavy dishes like Chinese or Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms, sausage, cassoulet, tomatoes, eggplant, and pasta are perfect for Guigal Cote Rotie wines.
Condrieu, the white wine from Guigal is just right for a myriad of fish, shellfish, seafood, and raw courses like sashimi and sushi, as well as cheese.
Yes, I know the Guigal La La wines are tremendously expensive. But they offer some of the best wine-tasting experiences from any vineyard in any country! They are also in contention to win an award as the most consistently outstanding wine in the world.
In the vast majority of vintages, these wines are truly stunning. Next, consider that they are produced in incredibly small amounts, ranging from 400 to 800 cases for the entire world. Fans of these wines are lucky, as the extraordinary high quality, character, and tiny production have not really caught on with most consumers.
Frankly, these wines sell for prices that are cheap for all they offer. If you're ever going to buy expensive wine, to see what all the fuss is about, these are the wines to buy!