Guigal - Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 2018

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Smoky, briary and complex, the 2018 Cote Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis spent 38 months in new oak, yet it still exudes notes of blackberries and blueberries, testament to the wine's ample concentration. It's full-bodied and rich yet silky and long, with hints of mocha and brown sugar appearing on the finish. It's another beautiful vintage of this cuvée, which combines fruit from seven different parcels (three on the Cote Blonde and four on the Cote Brune).

It was the start of the last full day of my 2021 Rhône trip when I pulled into the parking lot at Guigal around 9:30 a.m. Reminder: Always dress warmly when tasting at Guigal, because the cellars are a few degrees cooler than average! The cool temperatures help inhibit the growth of any spoilage organisms during the extended élevage these wines receive.

While the stars of the cellars are the single-vineyard wines from Côte-Rôtie, the Guigal family takes pride in all of the wines they produce, and one reliable indicator of the quality of a Southern Rhône vintage is the quality and volume produced of the négoce Côtes du Rhône, which is typically around 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre. The 2018 is charming and fruit-forward, while the 2019 looks to be slightly more concentrated. The family's relationships in Gigondas go back before the elevation of that appellation to cru status in 1971, so that is another reliable southern offering from the négociant side of the business.

In the Northern Rhône, the large-scale bottlings from Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie are consistent performers and widely distributed. As they will be many consumers' introduction to these appellations, it's important they remain of high quality, vintage after vintage. The so-called La Las really require no introduction, except to mention that a new La La is being contemplated—a steep, two-hectare parcel within the Fongeant lieu-dit was vinified separately in 2019 and 2020. I was able to taste some impressive barrel samples, but as those wines will not be bottled separately, I've not scored them or added them to the database. Philippe Guigal was hopeful that the new wine—tentatively named La Renarde—would be ready to make a formal debut beginning with the 2022 vintage.

Value-oriented consumers who still want a taste of Northern Rhône Syrah will want to focus on the family's négoce bottlings from Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. While the Crozes is normally a fruit-forward, easy-drinking wine, the 2019 version boasts a bit more concentration than usual, while the 2018 and 2019 St-Joes both deliver ripe fruit and hints of granitic austerity. The Lieu-Dit Saint-Joseph and Vignes de l'Hospice bottlings ratchet up the intensity of both oak and terroir, but prices for those are rising rapidly, as consumers have caught on to the value they represent.

As a side note, my tastings at Guigal's cellars in Ampuis included wines from the family's estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Nalys, but I've chosen to include those reviews in my Southern Rhône coverage, slated to appear in the next few weeks.

Jeb Dunnuck

Not scheduled to be on the market until November of 2023, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Chateau D'Ampuis is nevertheless a remarkable Côte Rôtie that readers will love to have in the cellar. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue as well as awesome Côte Rôtie notes of smoked game, violets, acacia flowers, and both red and black fruits, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has polished, seamless tannins, and a layered, perfectly balanced mouthfeel. It shows the softer style of the vintage (especially compared to the more structured, tannic 2019) and already offers pleasure, but this will easily evolve for at least two decades.

James Suckling

The very deep, smoky and spicy nose pulls you into this very concentrated, focused and elegant Cote-Rotie, with delicate notes of coconut and pomegranate adding to the very complex picture. Very long, polished finish with delicate sweetness and underplayed power. Drink or hold.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Wine Enthusiast