2018 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque

2018 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque is one of the Rhône Valley’s most coveted icons, part of Guigal’s legendary “La La” trilogy. Sourced from one of the steepest and most dramatic slopes in Côte-Rôtie, it delivers a powerful yet polished expression of Syrah with a subtle lift from Viognier. This cuvée, first created after Guigal purchased and largely replanted the La Turque vineyard in 1980, has quickly become a modern benchmark for the appellation, uniting intensity, opulence, and remarkable finesse.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2018 La Turque is deeply opaque, moving from dark ruby to almost inky purple at the core, with a vivid, youthful rim that hints at its long life ahead. The nose is immediately captivating: layers of ripe black cherry and blackberry mingle with smoked meat, crushed rock, and graphite, wrapped in notes of exotic spices, incense, violets, and cracked black pepper. Delicate hints of cocoa, vanilla, and sweet tobacco from the long élevage in new French oak add further complexity without overwhelming the fruit. On the palate, this is full-bodied yet wonderfully energetic, with a dense core of dark berry fruit, kirsch, and cherry liqueur carried by bright, juicy acidity. The texture is silky but structured, with fine-grained, steadily building tannins that frame flavors of black plum, licorice, smoked bacon, and floral pastilles. The finish is impressively long and penetrating, echoing floral, mineral, and spicy notes long after each sip. While accessible with extended aeration in its youth, this 2018 vintage has a clear aging potential of 20–25 years or more in a good cellar, during which it will gain even greater nuance and harmony.

Production
La Turque comes from a tiny, amphitheater-like vineyard on the Côte Brune of Côte-Rôtie, planted on extremely steep terraces with inclines up to 70%. The soils are predominantly dark schist with iron-rich elements, giving the wine its distinctive mineral depth and structure. The blend is approximately 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier, co-planted and traditionally co-fermented, a hallmark of the appellation that adds aromatic lift and textural finesse. Guigal farms organically in practice, with very low yields and meticulous hand-harvesting due to the precipitous slopes. After a strict selection in the cellar, the wine undergoes a long vinification and maceration to extract color, tannin, and flavor, followed by an extended maturation of about 42 months in new French oak barrels, a signature of the estate that contributes to the wine’s polish, depth, and remarkable longevity.

Food & Serving
This is a powerful, gastronomic wine best matched with richly flavored dishes: think dry-aged ribeye or côte de boeuf, slow-braised lamb shanks, game such as venison or pigeon, or dishes featuring wild mushrooms, truffles, and smoked or cured meats. It also shines with hearty stews, roasted root vegetables, and mature hard cheeses like aged Comté or Manchego. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight both its aromatic complexity and structure. For a young vintage like 2018, decant generously—three to four hours in advance is strongly recommended—to allow the wine to fully unfurl its bouquet and soften its tannins; older bottles will benefit from a more delicate, shorter decant to remove sediment.

Producer
The Guigal estate is one of the most influential and revered producers in the Rhône Valley. Founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in Ampuis, at the heart of Côte-Rôtie, the domaine evolved rapidly under his son Marcel, who elevated Guigal to international prominence and is now joined by the third generation, Philippe, overseeing winemaking. Pioneers of the “single vineyard” concept in Côte-Rôtie, Guigal put sites like La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque on the world stage, proving that these steep, historic slopes could produce wines to rival the greatest in Bordeaux and Burgundy. Working with organically farmed vineyards, low yields, and a philosophy of minimal intervention in the cellar, Guigal consistently crafts some of the most collectible and critically acclaimed wines in the Rhône, including other crown jewels such as Côte-Rôtie Château d’Ampuis, Condrieu La Doriane, and Hermitage Ex Voto.

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