E. Guigal : Château d'Ampuis 2019

Brooding and gently somber as usual, the 2019 Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis opens with aromas of chocolate, oak, pencil lead, gentian and dark berries. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it’s structured around a powerful mid-palate framed by powdery tannins, concluding with a long, mineral and saline finish. This is a classic.

Fresh and stewed plum flavors have a caressing feel, with bitter chocolate and singed lard chiming in. Orange peel acidity nicely props up the round, weighty palate, while bitter cherry, roasted apple wood and mesquite smoke stretch out on the firm, iron-edged finish. This should have a long life ahead in the cellar. Drink now through 2032. 2,000 cases made, 240 cases imported.

This has a powerful mineral drive and dense, powerful tannins. The polished oak is prominent throughout, from the nose through to the palate and the finish. Dark and brooding, the structure is massive and imposing. This certainly has great intensity and depth, but the oak work dominates for now, so give it time to integrate. From seven parcels across the Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, aged for 38 months in new barriques.

This combines the elegance and finesse for which the appellation is famous with tremendous power. In spite of this the tannins are very fine, the generous oak already beautifully woven into the plush tapestry of flavors. Stunning length and complexity at the finish. From seven plots that are neighbours to La Mouline and La Landonne on the Côte-Rôtie. A cuvée of 93% syrah and 7% viognier. Matured in 100% new oak barrels for 38 months. Drink or hold.

The alluring 2019 Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis fires on all cylinders. Bold and fleshy, it exhales prominent black cherry compote, crushed violets, pencil shavings, cedar and licorice. Earthy and meaty undertones add further aromatic layers. The full-bodied 2019 hits all the right spots, flawlessly combining elevated ripeness and intensity with balancing freshness. Grippy yet ripe tannins require at least four more years in bottle. After that, the 2019 will delight at least until 2040.

Leading off the Côte Rôties, the 2019 Côte Rôtie Chateau D'Ampuis is always a brilliant wine, and in recent years, it's come close to rivaling the single vineyard releases. Don't believe me? Put it in a blind lineup and let me know the results. The 2019 is absolutely brilliant, and I'd put this up with the finest vintages of this cuvée to date, including 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2018. Awesome aromatics of ripe red and black fruits, tapenade, iron, and gamey, meaty, floral notes all emerge on the nose, and this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, beautiful yet substantial tannins, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-6 years if you can and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. As always, the Chateau D'Ampuis comes from a mix of seven lieux-dits spread across the appellation and sees the same four years in new barrels as the single vineyards.

A gorgeous nose of blueberry jelly, with oak bringing discreet yet perfectly integrated vanilla nuances. On the palate, beautifully ripe tannins and a superb polish; this sun-filled vintage fully benefits from 38 months of ageing, which give it a fascinating texture and juiciness.