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1999 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis Côte-Rôtie Rhône France Wine Tasting Note

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1999
E. Guigal Château d'Ampuis  (Côte-Rôtie)
95
At 15 years of age, this is in the perfect spot. The fruit is still young, lively and energetic. The secondary aromas are in bloom and the tannins have softened. If you have a bottle, open one. You'll be glad you did.

At 15 years of age, this is in the perfect spot. The fruit is still young, lively and energetic. The secondary aromas are in bloom and the tannins have softened. If you have a bottle, open one. You'll be glad you did.

5,144 Views   Tasted
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With a beautiful sense of purity in the sweet, ripe, red cherry, black raspberry and strawberry fruits, the wine is fresh, zippy, peppery and concentrated. Drinking in the right place, the lively, red berry finish is long and clean.

With a beautiful sense of purity in the sweet, ripe, red cherry, black raspberry and strawberry fruits, the wine is fresh, zippy, peppery and concentrated. Drinking in the right place, the lively, red berry finish is long and clean.

5,696 Views   Tasted
Bacon fat, floral, boysenberry, earth, kirsch, pepper and garrigue pop along with the cork. Silky, rich and filled with layers of sweet, ripe, delicious red and dark berries, this Cote Rotie is moving full speed ahead on all cylinders.

Bacon fat, floral, boysenberry, earth, kirsch, pepper and garrigue pop along with the cork. Silky, rich and filled with layers of sweet, ripe, delicious red and dark berries, this Cote Rotie is moving full speed ahead on all cylinders.

6,470 Views   Tasted
I like wines young, old and in the middle. I prefer finding them finding them in the sweet spot. Coming up on 14 years of age, this is the sweet spot. The perfume with its spice, earth, kirsch, black raspberry, bacon fat and pepper pop the moment the wine hits the glass. In the mouth, the lush, polished, ripe berries and cherries are in full force. There is not a hair out of place. If you cannot afford the famous La La's, (and who can?) this is a contender for the best value in a high end Cote Rotie from a legendary vintage in the marketplace today.

I like wines young, old and in the middle. I prefer finding them finding them in the sweet spot. Coming up on 14 years of age, this is the sweet spot. The perfume with its spice, earth, kirsch, black raspberry, bacon fat and pepper pop the moment the wine hits the glass. In the mouth, the lush, polished, ripe berries and cherries are in full force. There is not a hair out of place. If you cannot afford the famous La La's, (and who can?) this is a contender for the best value in a high end Cote Rotie from a legendary vintage in the marketplace today.

5,312 Views   Tasted
Smoke, earth, charcoal, kirsch, wild strawberry, bacon fat, floral and spice box scents make up the perfume. Silky textures, freshness, purity of fruit and concentration of flavor are found in every sniff and sip. This is drinking perfectly today. I'll probably try drinking my remaining bottles over the next 10-12 years to retain the beautiful array of fresh fruits. If you're not familiar with Cote Rotie, while not inexpensive, this is a good bottle to see what the fuss is all about.

Smoke, earth, charcoal, kirsch, wild strawberry, bacon fat, floral and spice box scents make up the perfume. Silky textures, freshness, purity of fruit and concentration of flavor are found in every sniff and sip. This is drinking perfectly today. I'll probably try drinking my remaining bottles over the next 10-12 years to retain the beautiful array of fresh fruits. If you're not familiar with Cote Rotie, while not inexpensive, this is a good bottle to see what the fuss is all about.

5,994 Views   Tasted
Licorice, dark cherries, cassis, bacon fat, herbs and hints of juicy plums open to a powerful, concentrated, fresh wine. With rich, silky textures and a long finish filled with ripe berries, pepper, vanilla and earthy flavors, this is a knock out Cote Rotie that keeps improving. Still young, this should continue to evolve for at least another decade or more. While not cheap, for a Cote Rotie of this quality, this is the wine to buy.

Licorice, dark cherries, cassis, bacon fat, herbs and hints of juicy plums open to a powerful, concentrated, fresh wine. With rich, silky textures and a long finish filled with ripe berries, pepper, vanilla and earthy flavors, this is a knock out Cote Rotie that keeps improving. Still young, this should continue to evolve for at least another decade or more. While not cheap, for a Cote Rotie of this quality, this is the wine to buy.

8,062 Views   Tasted
The showy nose expresses notes of fresh pepper, chocolate covered cherries, herbs, fresh earth and wild strawberries with a tiny hint of vanilla, ending with smoky bacon fat. Thick, rich, sophisticated and elegant, this wine feels great slipping over your palate. Ripe, strawberry, cherry and black raspberry flavors fill your mouth with an exciting bolt of flavor with the perfect amount of lift. The long finish lasts at least 35/40 seconds. This is drinking beautifully today.

The showy nose expresses notes of fresh pepper, chocolate covered cherries, herbs, fresh earth and wild strawberries with a tiny hint of vanilla, ending with smoky bacon fat. Thick, rich, sophisticated and elegant, this wine feels great slipping over your palate. Ripe, strawberry, cherry and black raspberry flavors fill your mouth with an exciting bolt of flavor with the perfect amount of lift. The long finish lasts at least 35/40 seconds. This is drinking beautifully today.

7,101 Views   Tasted
Violets, bacon fat, licorice and jammy fruits are easy to discern in this Cote Rotie. Supple entry. Still tannic. Good concentration and depth of flavors. A long bright, red fruit dominated finish pleases the palate. With 60 minutes of decanting, this still seemed young. It fleshed out after about 2 hours.

Violets, bacon fat, licorice and jammy fruits are easy to discern in this Cote Rotie. Supple entry. Still tannic. Good concentration and depth of flavors. A long bright, red fruit dominated finish pleases the palate. With 60 minutes of decanting, this still seemed young. It fleshed out after about 2 hours.

3,849 Views   Tasted

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!

www.guigal.com