2009 Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis Guigal

More ripe, voluptuous and decadent, the 2009 Cote Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis offers rocking dark fruits, cured meats, dried flowers, licorice and toasty/graphite-like qualities to go with a full-bodied, pedal-to-the- metal style on the palate. Gaining more and more freshness as it sat in the glass, this prodigious effort can be consumed anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

A broad, muscular style, with a distinctive mix of roasted mesquite and apple wood out front, followed by lush raspberry confiture, crushed plum and blackberry fruit flavors. There's ample depth, with smoldering tobacco, juniper and mocha all mixed on the finish. Relies primarily on bass and pumps along nicely. Best from 2015 through 2035. From France.-J.M.

Imponerenede flot, alle Nordrhones kvaliteter koncentreret i samme flaske. Frugt, fad, mineralitet, fylde, råstyrke og elegance, kompleksitet, altsammen i een og samme vin. Nordrhone når det er absolut bedst. Moden mørk frugt, patieneret læder, sort peber, ristet kaffe og mørk chokolade. Imponerende flot.

Fantastisk flot næse med moden frugt, blomster og en smule eukalyptus, vanille, solbær og staldpræg. I munden virker den elegant, med strejf af viol, pibetobak, røg samt et voldsomt fadpræg.

Inky purple. Powerful, deeply pitched aromas of singed plum, blackberry, licorice pastille and Indian spices, with an accent of candied flowers. Supple, broad and sweet , displaying intense black and blue fruit, licorice and cracked pepper flavors. The floral element comes back strong on the finish, which is firmed by smooth, slow-building tannins. Shows the power of the vintage to full effect but comes off as surprisingly energetic and fresh.