2015 E. Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde 750 ml

Best Vintage of Côte-Rôtie in Half a Century

When it comes to Rhône producers, there are those at the top, the cream that rises above, and then, there’s E. Guigal. Today, the father-and-son operation, “consistently fashion some of the greatest wines in the world,” according to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, which has also declared: “There is no winemaker on planet Earth who has produced so many compelling wines, irrespective of vintage conditions, as Marcel Guigal.”

The smallest production ones, the famous “La La” wines from Côte-Rôtie—La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque—can cost as much as a down payment on a car, if you can even get your hands on them in the first place. For most of us, the purchase of Guigal wines is out of the financial question—this is a producer that has released the most expensive Rhône wines in history. Fortunately, the Brune et Blonde is grown on the same vertiginous slopes above the picturesque commune of Ampuis, and boasts a similar sense of character, concentration, and energy. Luxurious, full-bodied, super complex, this elegant red showcases notes of black cherries, wild raspberries, licorice, and flowers, all with concentration to spare and the potential to age for another decade-plus. 

One look at the dizzying steep slopes of the Northern Rhône and it’s not hard to imagine why vineyards are few and far between there. Still, some of the oldest plantings of red and white varieties in France can be traced back to the hillsides of Côte Rôtie, which translates aptly to “roasted slope,” courtesy of the abundant sunshine that cascades across this hillside, perfectly ripening deep, complex Syrah. Rhône enthusiasts and experts know that the Northern Rhône is a treasure trove of vinous gems, and within it Côte-Rôtie is the Holy Grail. Here, there are only a handful of winemakers in the world who have a legitimate claim on being the greatest.

According to the venerable Bob Parker, in all the years he has “spent visiting wineries and vignerons, I have never seen a producer so fanatical about quality as Marcel Guigal.” The work has paid off: Guigal has produced more than three dozen 100-point wines over the decades.

After tasting the 2015s, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate noted: “When someone of Marcel's experience says 2015 is the best vintage he's ever seen in the Northern Rhône, would you expect anything different?” We concur. The extraordinary nature of 2015 sings through in the Brune et Blonde as well, which earned 93 points in Parker’s Advocate for its “hallmark aromas of dried flowers, herbs, raspberries and black olives” that represent “a remarkable achievement and testament to the tremendous quality of the vintage.” Whether you drink this one now or in 10 years, it’s certain to be a memorable experience.