1996 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline
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The 1996 Guigal La Mouline was incredibly delicious. Dark fruit, tar and bacon fat were just some of the nuances that flowed from this sensual, generous Côte-Rôtie.
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Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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Medium red-ruby. Classic Northern Rhone syrah aromas of crystallized black raspberry, roasted game and pepper, plus an herbal element. Penetrating and tightly wound but not hard; seemed to harmonize with aeration. Quite juicy and pristine. Finishes very long and brisk, with fine tannins and the piquant acidity of the year. This will never be a fleshy La Mouline, but several additional years of aging should bring more aromatic complexity and pliancy.
The 1996 Cote Rotie La Mouline possesses the highest percentage of Viognier (17-18%) Guigal has ever included in this offering. The deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a superb bouquet of spice box, cedar, leather, honeysuckle, and jammy black fruits. It is remarkably tender and soft for a vintage that produced high acid wines. Medium-bodied, elegant, and complex, it is one of the more forward and evolved La Moulines, and thus should be drunk over the next 10-12 years. Importer: Fred Ek, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153