2001 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne

Starting to show signs of maturity, the 2001 Cote Rotie la Landonne offers a complex, nuanced bouquet of spice, hints of oak, smoked meats and sweet dark fruit. This is followed by a full-bodied, classically styled Cote Rotie that has beautiful mid-palate density, solid acidity and a great finish. This is a classic version of the cuvee that will be in its prime for another decade, and evolve gracefully after that.

100% Syrah, clay and calcareous soil, fermented in stainless steel vats, minimum of four weeks’ cuvaison, aged in small oak casks for 42 months. A little less meaty than the Ch d’Ampuis. More smoky and concentrated. Intense but not OTT. There’s clearly a lot of oak but the vibrant healthy fruit just seems to swallow it up. On the palate, meaty black fruit, liquorice and a hint of violets. Tannins are very very fine but still pretty firm. Long and delicious with just the right amount of freshness from the tannins and the acidity combined. (JH)

Saturated inky ruby color. Forceful, deeply concentrated nose features remarkably pure aromas of cherry liqueur, fresh blackcurrant, pipe tobacco, truffle, espresso, violet pastille, rose and exotic oak spices. A wine of incredible depth and sweetness, with almost painfully intense dark berry and plum flavors that expand and gain richness as the wine opens in the glass. Sappy and wonderfully long; shows a dense tannic structure but there's so much fruity and spicy intensity that the wine seems downright lush. Exotic Asian spices linger endlessly in the mouth, along with a sweet flavor of creme de mure. (JR)