2015 Côte-Rôtie La Mouline Côte-Blonde Guigal

Manages to be pretty, somehow. Masses of finesse. Already the nose soars above the matter. Sweet and in another register to most vintages. This should split the difference between Guigal style and more typical Côte Rôtie. 2025 - 2045.

Its 42 months in new oak has only just begun; it will hit the market in 2019. Both red and black fruits shot through with star anise aromatics and fine tannin. Really concentrated, with vivacious, rounded juicy fruits. "At the same time seductive and serious," says Philippe Guigal, and you can't help but agree. 2023-2040.

A very complex and complete nose with everything so integrated and beautifully judged. There are ripe blackberries, blood plums, fragrant spices, dark stones and roasted coffee, to name just some of what is already on offer here. The palate has such richness and such build and layering with ripe dark plums and blackberries, clothed in robes of spice-laden, velvety tannins in a majestic mode. Pure class and a great vintage for sure. One of the best ever. Best from 2025.

The 2015 Côte Rôtie La Mouline has closed down substantially since I tasted it from barrel, yet it's nevertheless a magical wine in the making. Sporting a deep, saturated purple color as well as a monster bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, and hints of flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a focused, tight, backward vibe that's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age. It's going to be incredibly long- lived.

The 2015 Cote Rotie La Mouline contains the most Viognier of any of Guigal's La Las: 11%. That tends to make it more open and approachable when young, but the 2015 seemed closed at the time of my visit. Cedar and vanilla frame mixed berries in a full- bodied, plush wine that somehow never seems heavy. It shows great elegance and length, and I'm confident the complexity it showed at earlier tastings will reemerge with a few years in the bottle.

| Red This is packed with red and black currant preserves, raspberry pâte de fruit and plum reduction at the core. A long way from opening, as the fruit is encased in layers of singed alder, warm earth and smoldering tobacco. A singed iron spine girds the finish. Best from 2025 through 2045.

Meget elegant duft, delikat mørk frugt, floral, stor race, meget fin balance mellem frugt og eg. Rank struktur, rig og elegant, vibrerende med lang, lang eftersmag.