E. Guigal - Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2019

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

A superb nose of blueberry jelly, with subtle but perfectly integrated woody notes and hints of vanilla. On the palate, ripe tannins and superb patina. This sunny vintage has benefited greatly from 38 months of aging, giving it a fascinating texture and juiciness.

About the estate:

Marcel and Philippe Guigal jointly run the successful family business, which since 2017 has expanded significantly in the south, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (77 hectares of land), supplemented in spring 2022 by the 100 hectares of Château d'Aquéria. And still the rich parcels in Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, and Hermitage. Wine lovers can taste some of the greatest vintages in the valley, not to mention the brilliant Côtes-du-Rhône, in all three colors, and Tavel, Philippe's favorite wine.

Decanter

About wine:

This wine has a powerful mineral dynamic and dense, powerful tannins. Polished oak is omnipresent, from the nose to the palate and through to the finish. Dark and obscure, the structure is massive and imposing. This wine certainly has a lot of intensity and depth, but the oak dominates for now, so it needs time to integrate. Made from seven parcels in the Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, it was aged for 38 months in new barrels.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

In addition to its "treasures" in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Condrieu, Guigal owns two beautiful plots in Saint-Joseph: the "Saint-Joseph" locality, which gave its name to the appellation, and the Vignes de l'Hospice, planted on a very steep granite hillside, already identified by the monks of the Hospice de Tournon and with a geological formation similar to the famous Bessards hill in Hermitage.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the estate:

An iconic figure in the northern Rhône, Marcel Guigal is both a major wine merchant and a large landowner. In the latter capacity, he cultivates famous Côte Rôtie vineyards such as La Mouline, La Turque, and La Landonne, not to mention La Doriane in Condrieu. A tireless worker with an insatiable intellectual curiosity, he succeeded his father, Etienne. Philippe Guigal, an oenologist representing the third generation, continues the work alongside his father, still maintaining this duality of property and trade. The vinification of the northern appellations all takes place in Ampuis.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

The 2019 Côte Rôtie Château d'Ampuis is a superb example of this cuvée, which blends fruit from seven different lieux-dits (three on the Côte Blonde and four on the Côte Brune). Smoky, herbaceous, and complex, with a solid base of blueberries and raspberries, it is full-bodied and concentrated, yet silky, elegant, and long on the palate.

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

The most iconic winery in the northern Rhône Valley needs no introduction. Under this entity, we bring together wines from our own vineyards, which we separate from our wine trading activities. This includes the famous trio from Côte-Rôtie: La Mouline, La Turque, and La Landonne, the first two being brands and the last a registered terroir. Added to these are the Château d'Ampuis cuvée and the Condrieu La Doriane. In addition to these star wines, there is the Vignes de l'Hospice cuvée, a Saint-Joseph located on a magnificent terroir, as well as a few large plots in Hermitage from which the Ex-Voto cuvée is produced. Marcel Guigal is ably supported by his son Philippe, who seems to be gently changing the style of the wines, with a slightly less dominant approach to aging. Needless to say, all these wines are made for long-term aging.

Vinous

About wine:

The seductive Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2019 pulls out all the stops. Bold and fleshy, it exudes prominent notes of black cherry compote, crushed violet, pencil lead, cedar, and licorice. Earthy and meaty nuances add additional aromatic layers. The full-bodied wine of the 2019 vintage hits all the right notes, perfectly combining high maturity and intensity with balanced freshness. The tight but ripe tannins will require at least four more years in the bottle. After that, the 2019 will delight until at least 2040.

James Suckling

About wine:

This wine combines the elegance and finesse for which the appellation is renowned with remarkable power. However, the tannins are very fine and the generosity of the oak is already beautifully integrated into the mosaic of aromas. The finish is astonishingly long and complex. Made from seven neighboring plots in La Mouline and La Landonne on the Côte-Rotie. A blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier. Aged in 100% new oak barrels for 38 months. Ready to drink now or keep.

Jeb Dunnuck

About wine:

At the top of the Côte Rôties, the 2019 Côte Rôtie Château D'Ampuis is still a brilliant wine that, in recent years, has almost rivaled wines from single vineyards. Don't believe me? Put it in a blind tasting and let me know the results. The 2019 is absolutely brilliant, and I would compare it to the best vintages of this cuvée to date, including the 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2018. Superb aromas of ripe red and black fruit, tapenade, iron with hints of game, meat, and flowers come through on the nose, and this beauty hits the palate with medium- to full-bodied richness, a smooth and structured mouthfeel, gorgeous but substantial tannins, and a great finish. Hide the bottles for 4 to 6 years if you can and enjoy them within the next 15 to 20 years. As always, Château D'Ampuis comes from a blend of seven lieux-dits spread across the appellation and spends the same four years in new barrels.