2004 E. Guigal Saint Joseph Vignes de L'Hospice

The locomotive of the northern Rhône Valley, Guigal is by a wide margin the largest producer of Côte-Rôtie. Guigal's limited and costly single-vineyard "La-La" wines -- La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque -- are among the most coveted red wines in the world, with extraordinary aromatic complexity, depth of flavor and longevity. For years, they've also offered a consistently rich, classic Hermitage from purchased fruit. White wines aren't neglected either: there's two styles of superb Condrieu: a classic rich-but-dry basic bottling done partly in stainless steel, and the more exotic, floral La Doriane, made entirely in new barriques. There's also a large quantity of excellent négociant Côtes du Rhône.

The locomotive of the northern Rhône Valley, Guigal is by a wide margin the largest producer of Côte-Rôtie. Guigal's limited and costly single-vineyard "La-La" wines -- La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque -- are among the most coveted red wines in the world, with extraordinary a... more