Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2020
The Wine
For a wine that's made in such high volumes as Guigal's famous Cotes du Rhone, this is a stunner. It's a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and blended at their northern Rhone base in Ampuis, where this humble wine joins its more illustriously regarded, higher priced siblings from Guigal. They have contracts with growers dating back decades and are well-known in the region for paying the best prices for the best grapes.
Guigal favors Syrah as the major grape for their Côtes du Rhône Rouge, this is uncharacteristic for the region as many of the wines you’ll find on the market are dominated for Grenache for its straight-forward pleasure. Syrah though, when well made, can offer a deeper complexity that blends beautifully with Grenache.
Guigal are masters of Syrah and it is no surprise that they want it to stand out in this wine. Long skin maceration time provides depth and richness to this dry, full bodied, soft red wine, which is made from vines with an average age of 35 years.
90 Points Decanter "Modern, lifted and a bit heady, but attractive and evocative. Black cherry inkiness segues into a dense palate where all the fruit is crammed into a structured body with drying tannins. Herbs and stones hemmed in by a firm grip. A good all rounder."
Wow, unbelievable how Guigal can make such a super drinkable and interesting Syrah dominate CdR on a massive scale. Think the 2020 is the best Vintage I've enjoyed of this cuvee - all the usual good things about this wine are amplified in 2020. No brainier and a must to have a case or two at home- btw the remnants in the bottle the next day are at another level,,,TC
The Details
Variety - Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre
Country - France
Region - Rhone
Extra - Cork
Year - 2020
Volume - 750ml