Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2009

Fragrant Côtes du Rhône are seldom found nowadays but that is a shame others have to worry about; Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône offers a broad array of fruit, some of those savory meat pan juices and wisps of garrigue. Could well serve as an exemplary Côtes du Rhône –a touchstone by which to measure the rest because it reaches toward the Chateauneuf du Pape evergreen herbs and roasted fruits but keeps things rather lighthearted by comparison giving the palate just the red it wants when a heftier wine would be too much be it for the food or the mood. It’s not a bantamweight by any means. This still bears plenty of tannin and structure; it just isn’t flexing and baritone. 14%
Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, March 2013

Expert Review

89 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2011
"There are 3.5 million bottles of the 2009 Cotes du Rhone red, which represents an amazing value. A blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre, it comes primarily from the Plan de Dieu (Plain of God), which is situated northeast of Chateauneuf du Pape. This tank-aged, deep ruby/purple-colored, concentrated, fleshy, medium to full-bodied, supple offering reveals plenty of pepper, kirsch and black currant fruit intermixed with a notion of flowers. It is meant to be consumed during its first 2-3 years of life although I have tasted 10-year-old bottles that are still holding together."

Food Pairings

Winged beasties with dark meat like duck, goose, squab, and griffins. Hooved game. Roasted meats.