2014 E. Guigal, Cote Rotie, La Landonne, Bottle (750ml)

JD97 Last of the single vineyard Côte Rôties, the La Landonne comes from a lieu-dit on the Côte Brune side of the appellation (as does the La Turque) and is 100% Syrah. It too spends four years in new French oak. The 2014 Côte Rôtie La Landonne gets my nod for the wine of the vintage and has rock star notes of black fruits, smoked meat, underbrush, and black olives. It’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, rich, and layered, and has more depth and length than just about every wine in the vintage. Hats off to the Guigal family for making such a stunning wine in a difficult vintage. The big news at the Guigal estate is the purchase of Domaine de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The family has always wanted an estate in the South, and Nalys is an unrealized treasure trove of awesome terroir and old vines, both of which I’ve no doubt will be maximized by this talented family. In addition, the former winemaker at Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Jacques Desvernois, has joined the team, and while it’s not clear exactly what his role will be, I suspect he will largely lead the charge at Domaine de Nalys. Either way, Desvernois is an incredible talent and can only add to what is already a well-oiled machine. As to the wines reviewed in this report, I was able to taste multiple vintages of each of the cuvées and have listed the wines by cuvée as opposed to by vintage, which is how we tasted through the wines.

JS96 Super-intense, dark-stone and mineral aromas here. Coal smoke, graphite and some distinctive, sappy, herbal accents. Blackberries are swathed in black and green pepper, mocha and coffee. Cloves and other woody spices are all in the mix, too. The palate is muscular with firm tannins encompassing the punchy, black-fruit flavors. This is under lockdown for now and will need a while to settle. Try in 2025.