Medium gold-yellow color; apricot, white peach, citrus zest, green apple, pear, apricot, honeyed almond, refreshing minerality on the nose and palate.
Dry; trace of fine tannins; adequate acidity. Medium body. Blend of 60% viognier, 15% roussanne, 10% marsanne, 8% clairette, 5% bourboulenc, 2% white grenache. The exact percentages change somewhat each vintage, but viognier always is the lead grape. No oak influence—100% stainless steel, temperature controlled. Aged nine months in stainless steel prior to bottling. Elegant, rounded, balanced; excellent texture with slight oiliness, especially on the finish after some air exposure. Delicious fruit gives illusion of sweetness. Signature viognier aromatics of acacia, honeysuckle. Rich, creamy extended finish. Yet another nice drinker and great value from E. Guigal. 14% ABV
E. Guigal was founded by Etienne Guigal in Ampuis, the village in the heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation in the northern Rhône, a place where wine grapes have been grown for some 2,400 years. Etienne’s son, Marcel, took over management of the operation in 1961 when Etienne suddenly was struck with total blindness. Marcel’s wife, Bernadette joined the team in 1973, and today their son, Phillipe, is the winemaker working alongside his wife, Eve.
While Guigal’s first triumphs were in the Northern Rhône, the family now is famed for its wine across the entire Rhône valley. The Côtes du Rhône, where this wine was made, is a major wine-growing Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the Southern Rhône in southeastern France. The appellation is vast and varied and stretches some 125 miles from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south, encompassing 171 villages. It is the second-largest appellation in France. Only Bordeaux is larger. The appellation received AOC status in 1937, one of the earliest regions to gain such recognition.
While only 8% of Rhône wine production is white grapes, 25% of E. Guigal production is white, and they are masters at white—and reds and rosé, too, for that matter. While most most Côtes du Rhône blancs are based on grenache blanc, since 1991 the Guigals have put particular emphasis on developing viognier for its freshness and complex aromatics. Critics believe E. Guigal has the deepest appreciation of viognier of any producer in the world. The vines that produce the various grapes for this effort are in various soils, primarily sedimentary, limestone, and granite. The vines average 25 years or more in age. Yields are held to as low as 1.8 tons per acre—which is lower than most Grand Cru Bordeaux, which makes the price point for this white winner all the more amazing. Never hesitate to buy an E. Guigal effort.
E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2023 is rich, vibrant, fresh blend led by viognier by, arguably, the world’s top viognier producer. Intensely aromatic, as viognier tends to be. Round, ripe, creamy, elegant. Fine tannins and minerality delight on an extended, graceful finish. Pairing—shellfish; crab, scallops, lobster, grilled shrimp; grilled fish, seafood pastas, bouillabaisse (French fish stew), grilled salmon, tuna; grouper. Roasted chicken, herb-roasted chicken; chicken with cream sauce, braised chicken with garlic, poulet d’Avignon; turkey, duck breast. Pork with fruit or cream sauces, holiday ham. Shiitake risotto, vegetable risotto, polenta, roasted root vegetables, creamed spinach, asparagus with mild cheese sauce, cauliflower steak. Cheese—triple cream, bloomy rind varieties; brie, camembert, fromager d’Affinois; soft cheese, Saint-Marcellin; aged hard cheese, comtè, ossau-iraty; chèvre, aged gouda. $15-20
