The 2019 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline is a Syrah-based red wine from the esteemed Guigal winery in the Northern Rhone region of France. This wine, which showcases the Cote Rotie appellation, is noted for its depth, complexity, and aging potential. It contains 14.5% alcohol and is sealed with a cork closure.
The wine has garnered significant praise from various professional reviewers, reflecting its high quality and potential for aging. Jeb Dunnuck awarded it a perfect score of 100 points, describing it as "a bigger, richer Côte Rôtie" with a "kaleidoscope-like bouquet of bloody black and blue fruits, tapenade, salted meat, woodsmoke, and a touch of violets." Dunnuck emphasizes the wine's full-bodied richness and layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, declaring it an exotic wine with a great finish.
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also lauds the wine, giving it a score of 98. He notes its aromatic profile of "violets, espresso, black and red plums, smoke, and dark red berries." Leve describes the wine's palate as opulent, with "exotically textured, silky, elegant, and refined fruits" and a long, sensual finish. He suggests that the wine can be enjoyed from 2030 to 2055.
Decanter's review, which scores the wine at 93 points, highlights its potential, noting that "cola oak dominates the palate at this early stage, and the finish is dry." The review advises patience, as "attractive aromatics lie in wait underneath the oak." The wine is fermented in stainless steel and aged for 40 months in new oak barriques, sourced from the gneiss and loess soils of lieu-dit Côte Blonde.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gives the wine a score range of 94-96 points. The reviewer appreciates its "aromatic and charming" nose with "ephemeral floral notes" and "ripe cherries," but finds it "not quite as impressive on the palate" compared to previous years. Nonetheless, it is described as "supremely elegant."
Vinous, scoring the wine at 96 points, praises its "juniper, black cherry, crushed violets, cured meat, vanilla, cedar and a splash of mint" profile. The review points out the wine's balance through fresh acidity and advises waiting another five years before enjoying it.
James Suckling awards the wine 97 points, highlighting its "great nose of summer flowers and ripe blackberries with a glaze of toasty oak." He finds the wine "very graceful despite all the power and concentration" and notes the "enormous structure" that becomes apparent on the finish.
Wine Spectator also scores the wine at 96 points, describing it as "meaty, chewy and gamy," with "beautiful floral lift" and "salty mineral energy." The review praises the wine's "depth, substance and textural beauty" and suggests it will be best enjoyed from 2025 through 2042.
Overall, the 2019 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline is a highly regarded wine with significant aging potential, noted for its complex bouquet, structured palate, and elegant finish.