I've had the 2005 Guigal Cotes Du Rhone at Bella's Cafe in Palmerston North a couple of times and always found it a good match for warm meaty meals, and a consistantly good example of a low end Rhone red delivering a great taste at a good price.
A big thumbs up to the superb Winesearcher.com website, that was able to help me track down the 2007 vintage of Guigal's Cotes du Rhone at a discounted price within New Zealand at Glengarry's, and thanks to the miracle that is the internet I was able to order a case online within 10 minutes - and have it arrive out at my "estate in the country" within two days for a mere $2.50 delivery charge!
2007 GUIGAL COTES DU RHONE
50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
Alcohol : 14.5%
My Rating : 18/20 - four stars
Guigal is a huge name is Rhone and a vast producer, but the top end of the range is always pricey with Chateauneuf du Pape, Condrieu, Hermitage and Cote-Rotie, while their Cotes Du Rhone can suffer a little bit from year to year as it has a huge vintage (3,500,000 bottles in 2007) and much of the juice is purchased.
But the 2007 blend looked to have a balance that would suit my palete, and having popped and poured the first bottle tonight I can confirm that the 2007 vintage is everything that you hope a Cotes Du Rhone will be.
The first thing that strikes you during the pour is the deep purple colour, and the wonderful complex nose that seems to contain cassis, raspberries, pepper and even a hint of bracken.
The initial taste is dark cherries and raspberries, with a touch of spice and a little bit of that earthy funk and tarry licorice that goes with the complexity of the concoction that is the hallmark of a great Rhone blend.
This is a complex wine, and to me it's amazing that I can source a bottle of CdR with 5 years age halfway around the world at such a great price.
Guigal's notes suggest that the wine will last a wee while yet, perhaps out to 2014, but I can tell you now that with ONLY 11 bottles left in the case there is little chance that this wine will last past the end of June - in my cellar anyway.
:-)
