2016 Chateau de Nalys Grand Vin Chateauneuf du Pape 750 ml

As Parker’s Advocate aptly puts it, the Guigal family is “The modern world’s greatest testament to a family-run winery with impeccably high standards, integrity and an uncompromising vision of the future.” The family behind the Northern Rhône’s 100pt “La-La’s”—that’s “La Mouline,” “La Landonne” and “La Turque”—rivals Petrus, Latour, and Yquem in France’s vinous honor roll, and now after minting over 20 100-point wines from their stronghold in Côte-Rôtie, Philippe and father Marcel Guigal made a major splash by acquiring an ancient, 125-acre estate in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

When we visited the Guigals last spring, we witnessed the glory of this bottle first-hand, and have been moving to get more bottles of this dark, opulent Châteauneuf-du-Pape stateside ever since. Lavish aromas of ripe blackberry and pomegranate leap from the glass, accompanied by undertones of river stone minerality underscored by the region’s classic wild herb medley. Full-bodied and rich, this has the structure to evolve gorgeously, but in Guigal’s signature fashion, is dangerously easy to drink today.
 
Rhône collectors waited anxiously to sample the early results—they arrived with the release of the debut 2016 vintage, besting all expectations. The magnificent, boldly structured red Grand Vin couples a rich, savory core with exquisite aromas of ripe black fruit and all the opulent concentration of the historic 2016 vintage. Half the grapes hailed from Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s most famous lieu-dit, La Crau, the parcel prized by the region’s stalwarts like Vieux Télégraphe.

Marcel and Philippe’s success has been the product of a long-term view that was set in motion once again with the bold acquisition of Château de Nalys in 2017, news that was splashed across the pages of wine industry publications. How long did Philippe bide his time before establishing a foothold in Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Only 20 years.
 
It’s not hard to see why Philippe and his legendary father finally pulled the trigger. The Nalys estate dates back four centuries to the 1600s; each of the three plots is planted to Châteauneuf’s famous 13 grape varieties. By blending select parcels from the three vineyards, the Guigals knew they could produce a Southern Rhône red to rival their masterpieces from up north. Half the fruit hails from the iconic, galet-strewn La Crau, where their vines neighbor those of Henri Bonneau and La Janasse; the wines are famed for their massive structure and expressive fruit. The Nalys vineyard, packed with the red sandy clay soil known locally as saffres, furnishes freshness and silky texture, while the small stones and sand of Bois Sénéchal lend balance and precision.
 
The Guigals set to work immediately, replanting 12 acres of vines, instigating organic farming practices, and requiring crews to make multiple passes through the vineyards during harvest, picking by vine age, not plot. While projections for the future of the estate are already soaring, 2016 set the bar extremely high. 

“The 2016 vintage was truly extraordinary for the Southern Rhône and is a vintage that readers should buy with abandon,” declared Rhône expert Jeb Dunnuck. “You will want these wines in your cellar.” A dry, prolonged growing season infused the Guigals’ Grand Vin with gorgeous, perfectly ripened fruit. An open-and-shut case for lovers of European reds that will age beautifully for those who can manage to wait.

It’s simply impossible to imagine the Guigal family, now with their own outpost in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, doing anything other than elevating Château de Nalys to the absolute pinnacle of the region. And when they do—and the wines command commensurate prices—you’ll be amazed that you were able to secure their astounding 2016 effort.