Marcel Guigal, the son of founder Étienne Guigal (hence the name of the firm is É. Guigal), planted their portion of the La Landonne vineyard in 1975 to celebrate the birth of Philippe, his son. Marcel acquired their 2.3-ha of La Landonne over the years by buying plots from various growers.… Read more

Philippe Guigal continued the family tradition of honoring the next generation by planting a new vineyard, La Reynarde, to honor the birth of their twin sons. The 1.6-ha plot sits in the Fongeant lieu-dit in the Côte Brune only 500 feet from La Turque, and takes its name from the stream, Le Reynard, that separates the two Côtes.… Read more

As a négociant, Guigal made – and still makes – sensational red Hermitage. Finally, about 25 years ago when Guigal purchased the de Vallouit Domaine and the J.L. Grippat Domaine in the early 2000s, they acquired vineyards in various lieux-dits on the Hermitage hill.… Read more

La Turque vineyard has been acclaimed since the early 20th century, with wines from it exclusively served at the Elysée Palace, according to Philippe Guigal, who currently oversees the Guigal estate. The previous owner of the vineyard failed to pay taxes, according to Philippe, the property was seized and eventually sold to Vidal-Fleury, another Côte Rôtie estate.… Read more

Since the La Mouline vineyard is an amphitheater on the steeply sloped Côte Blonde portion of Côte Rôtie, the vines have a spectrum of exposures, which I suspect accounts (at least in part) for the wine’s extraordinary complexity. Philippe Guigal, who oversees this still family-owned estate, explains that there’s schist, not granite, and limestone on the Côte Blonde, which gives an elegance to the Syrah.… Read more

Rightly revered for their reds, Guigal also makes stunning white wines. Philippe Guigal, the third generation of family ownership, explains that the decomposed granite soil of Condrieu is perfectly suited for Viognier. In other soils, Viognier produces a heavy wine, losing delicacy and verve.… Read more

Excluding the anomaly of the less than 4-hectare Château Grillet, Hermitage, with its 137-ha, is the smallest Rhône appellation. Of that, only about 25 percent (37-ha) is dedicated to white wine. Guigal acquired parcels on the Hermitage hill about 25 years ago when they purchased the de Vallouit Domaine and the J.L.… Read more

The retail price of Guigal’s special bottlings of reds, the LaLa’s or Ex Voto, always contains three digits and the first one is often a five, which makes this Saint Joseph a bargain, not inexpensive mind you, but still a bargain.… Read more

Guigal’s Côte Rôtie under the Château d’Ampuis label lies between their excellent (and not to be overlooked) Brune et Blonde bottling and their highly prized “LaLas” both in quality and price. Typically a blend of about 93 percent Syrah co-fermented with 7% Viognier, the grapes comes from seven parcels, three from the Côte Blonde (Le Clos, La Garde, and La Grande Plantée) and four from the Côte Brune (La Pommière, Le Pavillon Rouge, Le Moulin and La Viria) all of which are adjacent to one of their “LaLa” vineyard plots.… Read more

Although the vast majority of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (95%) is red, a little white is made under that appellation. Chapoutier, a star Rhône producer, has bottled a delectable example. Straw yellow, it has good weight without heaviness. Wonderful acidity balances the stone fruit nuances in this robust white.… Read more

Chapoutier, one of the top Rhône producers, consistently makes a winsome Crozes-Hermitage, from the generally flatter and larger appellation surrounding the exalted Hermitage hill. Their Syrah-based, mid-weight 2023 Les Meysonniers, made from organically grown grapes, displays fresh and lively red fruit notes overlain with peppery nuances.… Read more

Côtes du Rhône, a vast appellation encompassing vineyards both in the southern and northern Rhône, produces a range of wines from ordinary to superb. Since Delas is a noted producer in the Rhône, it comes as no surprise that their Saint-Esprit is consistently enjoyable despite being a relatively large production wine they produce by utilizing fruit under contract from other growers as well.… Read more

Through three generations of the family, Etienne, his son Marcel, and Marcel’s son Philippe, E. Guigal remains one of the top producers up and down the entire Rhône Valley. In addition to the wines that they make from their own vineyards, which extend from prime plots in Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, and St.… Read more

French wine regulators elevated red Beaumes-de-Venise, an attractive village sitting at the feet of the picturesque Dentelles de Montmirail in the Rhône Valley, from a Côtes de Rhône-Villages appellation to a stand-alone cru appellation, like Gigondas or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in 2005. This gorgeous wine shows why.… Read more

This Gigondas shows Guigal’s talents for finding suppliers and creating a stellar wine. Unlike Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, Guigal owns no vineyards in Gigondas, so the house buys wine from local growers and blends them. A typical southern Mediterranean blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Mourvèdre, this mid-weight Gigondas brings together a seamless balance of dark fruit, spice, and minerals.… Read more

Labeling aside, do not miss this wine. The Domaine de Saint Cosme is a top producer of red wine, especially their extraordinary Gigondas releases from the village where they are based. They are less well-known for white wines, though Les Deux Albion, may change that.… Read more

($41, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant):  St. Joseph, an important but sometimes overlooked appellation in the Northern Rhône, is exceptionally long, running on the west bank of that river from Cornas in the south to Condrieu in the north.  Its soils and exposures are varied, given its length, unlike its more circumscribed neighbors, Cornas, Hermitage, and Côte Rôtie, so it’s hard to generalize about the wines. … Read more

($175, Vintus):  With Arioso, and indeed all of Rotem and Mounir Saouma’s Rhône wines, the finesse and weightlessness of Burgundy meets the muscle of the Rhône.  In Burgundy, the husband-and-wife team is a mini-négociant, buying small amounts of grapes or newly pressed wine from growers—typically just a few barrels—raising it, and bottling it under the Lucien Le Moine label. … Read more

($21):  The Rhône Valley provides a treasure trove of reasonably priced reds and whites, especially from the appellations with a lesser pedigree compared to the famed ones, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Hermitage.  There is a trio of appellations, Côte du Rhône, Côtes du Rhone-Villages, and Côtes du Rhône-Villages with a named village appended, such as Saint Maurice, that offer particularly good value. … Read more

($17, The Wine Trust):  Séguret, a beautifully perched village in the southern Rhône valley, is one of 22 villages allowed to add their name to the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation.  Rhône authority Matt Walls, refers to them as a “training camp before being elevated to Cru status.” … Read more

($38, Vintus):  Guigal now owns prized vineyards in Saint Joseph and makes highly acclaimed wines from them, much as they do in Côte Rôtie.  The grapes for this juicy bottling come from their own vineyards plus ones they buy from other growers. … Read more

($18, Vintus):  Guigal’s single vineyard wines from the Côte Rôtie, La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque, which sell for hundreds of dollars upon release and are highly allocated, bring fame to that firm.  In my mind, what makes Guigal a famed producer is this wine, their consistently excellent and well-priced Côtes du Rhône.  … Read more

($91, Vintus):  Côte Rôtie, or “roasted slope” transliterated into English, is composed of two major subdivisions, the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde.  Typically, the former imparts more power to the Syrah grown there because of the iron rich soil, while the latter is home to Syrah with more finesse, reflecting its limestone soil. … Read more

($15, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Chapoutier is one of the top producers in the Rhône, so it’s no surprise that this mid-weight red Côtes du Rhône of theirs is easy to recommend.  It displays a balanced and marvelous mixture of black and red fruits, offset by herbal elements that lend a savory touch. … Read more

($15, Bowler):  I am reviewing this bargain-priced beauty again for emphasis since I just tasted it again.  This seductive white shows the potential of white wines from the southern Rhône.  A subtle peach-like character merges with a firm minerality.  The combination delights the palate and invigorating acidity in the finish magnifies it charms. … Read more

($15):  Laudun is an unusual Côte du Rhône Village because it produces a hefty amount of appealing white wines, like this one from the local co-operative.  A versatile wine, this lively mid-weight beauty delivers a hint of white peaches without any heaviness so it would work well as a stand-alone aperitif. … Read more

($14, Bowler):  Laudun, one of the 22 villages allowed to attach the village name to the Côte du Rhône Villages appellation, has applied for, and is likely to be elevated, to cru status, which would put it on a level with Rasteau and Cairanne, other named villages who were formerly under the Côtes du Rhône Villages umbrella. … Read more

($45, Kysela Pere et Fils):  Though more well known for its red wines, Lirac produces some lively whites, like this one.  That it is made from organic biodynamically grown grapes indicates to me that the winemaking team is more compulsive in the vineyard because they can’t just spray to control disease. … Read more

($25, Kysela Pere et Fils):  Frequent WineReviewOnline readers may know I am not a fan of rosés in general because they are often vapid and lack character.  Not this one.  Domaine de la Mordorée has fashion one from a blend Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault that delivers lively refreshment, delicate red fruitiness, and complementary spice.… Read more

($17, Levecke Imports):  The CPR refers to the blend of this zippy wine:  Chardonnay 23%, Pinot Gris 50%, and Riesling.  A charmer, it leads with fine and flowery aromatics and then follows with sufficient depth to hold up and balance its energy.… Read more

($25, Kysela Pere et Fils):  Regular WineReviewOnline readers know of my aversion to rosé, which, all too often, is insipid and lacks interest.  Not this one!  Of course, it comes from Tavel, an appellation that allows producers to make only rosé and from one of the top producers not just in Tavel, but in the entire Rhône Valley. … Read more

($35, Kysela Pere et Fils):  Lirac, a lesser-known appellation across the Rhône River from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is, like that more well-known neighbor, also a cru of the Rhône, a distinction given to a village and its surroundings that makes distinctive wines.  So, looking at the Rhône quality pyramid, Lirac sits with Gigondas, Vacqueryas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other crus, at the top. … Read more

($25, Kysela Pere et Fils):  The quality of wines labeled Côtes du Rhône is as vast as the appellation, which is to say, vast.  So, what differentiates one from another?  The producer, of course.  And Domaine de la Mordorée is one of the best, not only of Côtes du Rhône, but of other Rhône Valley appellations as well. … Read more

($29, Louis/Dressner Selections):  Elodie Balme symbolizes a new generation of winemakers in Rasteau, employing organic viticulture and making slightly less muscular wines that are formerly emblematic to this appellation.  That said, no one would categorize this beauty, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre, as a light wine. … Read more

($30):  Lirac, an often-overlooked appellation of the southern Rhône just to the west of Châteauneuf du Pape, is one of two Rhône appellations that makes all three colors, reds, whites, and rosés.  (Vacqueyras is the other.)  From what I heard from many during my recent trip to the area, Château de Montfaucon is one of the leading producers there. … Read more

($15):  French wine regulators allow 22 (at current count) villages that produce sufficiently distinctive wine to put their name on the label along with the appellation Côtes du Rhône Villages.  It is an elite club, accounting for only about ten percent of the wine from the Rhône Valley. … Read more

($70, Vintus Wines):  Condrieu, a small roughly 500-acre, appellation in the northern Rhône valley, mandates the exclusive use of Viognier, a temperamental grape.  Guigal, arguably the Rhône’s best producer overall, has (perhaps unsurprisingly) tamed it and turned it into an excellent wine. … Read more

($30, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Chapoutier, one of the best producers in the Rhône Valley, is both a négociant and a grower.  As a grower, the house makes estate wine from grapes in vineyards they own.  As a négociant, the company buys either very newly pressed wine or grapes from their neighbors and transform it into wine.… Read more

($16, Vintus Wines):  To me, the mark of a great producer lies in their least expensive wine.  Of course, Guigal is rightly known for their mind-boggling La La’s, small single-vineyard wines, La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque, from the Côte Rôtie, whose approximate 20,000-bottle combined annual production is highly allocated and sells for hundreds of dollars a bottle. … Read more

($73):  Côte Rôtie, a small appellation in the Northern Rhône that is home to spectacular red wines, allows the inclusion of up to 20 percent Viognier.  Burgaud included some Viognier in their Côte Rôtie in the past, but Pierre Burgaud, who is currently in charge, told me that with climate change and better ripening of Syrah, they no longer feel the need to add Viognier to bolster the alcohol. … Read more

($101, Kysela Père et Fils):  Domaine de la Mordorée, founded only in 1986 by the Delorme family, makes a wonderful range of wines from several southern Rhône appellations.  La Reine des Bois is, for all practical purposes, their top Châteauneuf-du-Pape (They do make a special cuvée occasionally, once or twice a decade, labeled Plume du Peintre, which is practically impossible to find and priced for the one-percenters of the world.) … Read more

($28):  Guigal, an undisputed leader in the Rhône, shows his considerable talents with this white wine from what is best known for its reds.  White wine from Crozes-Hermitage comprises less than ten percent of the appellation’s total production.  This one, a blend of mostly (90+ percent) of Marsanne with Roussanne providing the remainder, delivers delicate and refined stone fruit flavors with wonderful acidity, a characteristic often lacking in Rhône whites. … Read more

($15, HB Wine Imports):  As this wine shows, wines from the broad Côtes du Rhône appellation can provide an excellent pleasure-to-price ratio.  A balanced and lively Grenache and Syrah blend, it has good concentration and the oomph you would expect from the south of France. … Read more

($15, Europvin USA):  Domaine Saint Gayan, known for their Gigondas, also makes a notable Côtes du Rhône from grapes grown in the neighboring villages of Seguret and Sablet, two of the named villages of the more prestigious Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation, according to their website. … Read more

($15, Europvin USA):  Domaine Saint Gayan, known for their Gigondas, also makes a notable Côtes du Rhône from grapes grown in the neighboring villages of Seguret and Sablet, two of the named villages of the more prestigious Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation, according to their website. … Read more

($13, Taub Family Selections):  Jean-Luc Colombo is a star producer in the Northern Rhône appellation of Cornas.  Many credit him as a locomotive for that appellation, pulling it onto the world’s stage.  It turns out that he also makes a stylish, bargain-priced Côtes du Rhône. … Read more