{"product_id":"2018-e-guigal-cote-rotie-la-mouline","title":"2018 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline","description":"\u003cp\u003e2018 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline is one of the Rhône Valley’s most coveted icons, a legendary single-vineyard wine that beautifully captures the elegance of Côte-Rôtie’s Côte Blonde slope. In the 2018 vintage, La Mouline shows its trademark silkiness and aromatic complexity with an extra layer of depth and concentration. This is a collector’s bottle that balances power with a near-burgundian finesse, making it a benchmark for Northern Rhône Syrah.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the glass, the 2018 La Mouline is deep ruby to garnet at the core with a vibrant, purple-tinged rim that hints at its youth and intensity. The nose is highly expressive and seductive, offering layers of ripe blackberries, dark cherries and cassis, interwoven with violets, rose petals, smoked bacon, black olive, licorice, and fine cedar from its extended oak aging. Subtle notes of pepper, cocoa, and sweet spices continue to unfold with air, giving the bouquet remarkable complexity.\n\nOn the palate, La Mouline is velvety and enveloping, with an almost creamy texture that has long defined this cuvée. Ripe black and red fruits are framed by ultra-fine tannins and vibrant, well-integrated acidity, creating both richness and lift. Savory nuances of cured meat, graphite, garrigue and espresso add depth, while the finish lingers for a very long time, leaving echoes of dark fruit and florals. This 2018 has excellent aging potential; while already seductive in its youth after ample aeration, it will continue to gain nuance and tertiary complexity over 15–25+ years in a good cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLa Mouline comes from a celebrated amphitheater-shaped parcel in the Côte Blonde sector of Côte-Rôtie, where steep, terraced vineyards sit on ancient schist and mica-rich soils with a warmer, more sun-exposed aspect. The blend is predominantly Syrah with a small percentage of Viognier co-planted and co-fermented, a traditional hallmark of Côte-Rôtie that enhances aromatics and texture. Vines here are notably old and yields are kept very low to maximize concentration. Grapes are carefully hand-harvested at optimal maturity due to the extreme slope, then sorted meticulously before fermentation. After a long, temperature-controlled vinification, the wine is aged for an extended period (often around 40+ months) in new French oak barrels, a signature of Guigal’s top Côte-Rôtie wines, lending polish, structure, and the capacity for long-term development.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood \u0026amp; Serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 2018 La Mouline pairs beautifully with refined dishes that echo its depth and elegance: roasted or braised lamb, beef tenderloin, venison, squab, or duck with reduced jus, as well as dishes featuring wild mushrooms, truffles, or black olive tapenade. It also works wonderfully alongside aged hard cheeses and rich, slow-cooked stews. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight its aromatics and texture. Decanting is strongly recommended—at least 2–3 hours for a young bottle—to allow the wine to fully open, with the potential for even longer decanting if enjoyed in its first decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFounded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal in Ampuis, E. Guigal has become one of the most influential and respected producers in the Rhône Valley, renowned for elevating Côte-Rôtie and other Northern Rhône appellations to global prestige. Today the estate is run by the second and third generations of the Guigal family, who oversee an impressive mosaic of vineyards and meticulously selected grower partnerships. La Mouline, along with La Turque and La Landonne, forms Guigal’s famed ‘La La’ trio—single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie wines that are considered among the greatest Syrah-based wines in the world. Through rigorous vineyard work, obsessive selection, and long, careful aging, Guigal has set a benchmark for quality in the region and helped shape the modern reputation of Rhône wines on the international stage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guigal","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54255060943185,"sku":"GCW-MMUI-18011602","price":432.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0874\/0614\/9969\/files\/cote-rotie-la-mouline-00-rg_1__1.png?v=1783456379","url":"https:\/\/bottlehero.com\/products\/2018-e-guigal-cote-rotie-la-mouline","provider":"Bottle Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}