TN: 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

Decanted for an hour and drunk over the next three hours, and then rebottled 1/3 of the bottle overnight for breakfast. While a little tight at first, it quickly developed a soaring nose of black olives, black cherry and blackberry fruit, with plenty of savory roasted rare meat, bacon fat, a cool herbal streak my better half called juniper (and I can’t disagree, and suspect is the wood) and violets. A heavenly nose. Very perfumed and incredibly dense but with no sense of heaviness. At first the palate was a bit ungiving, but over a couple of hours, and most certainly overnight, this has fleshed out into a powerful yet supple wine with beautiful palate presence. This is a seamless, rich, powerful and elegant wine that is nearly perfectly balanced. Gorgeous texture. To pick nits, there is a touch of wood that still needs to integrate for my palate at least, but his is a flat out beautiful complicated wine. Very long and very pure on the back end. Brilliant stuff better on day two, and I will hold mine for at least 5 more years. 97+ pts (97 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

As an aside, the meal was fantastic. Probably the most enjoyable meal I have had all year. The food was technically perfectly executed, with thoughtful, very flavorful dishes. Service was attentive and unobtrusive, and the staff professional yet approachable and easy. A relaxing, wonderful meal to end a great trip back to B-more. Bravo!

Nice to read Todd,
Had the 2003 this week in my glas, simular experience, or even better.
99H.S.points [cheers.gif]

I wonder if they’ve ever made experimental lots using the same juice but with less new oak or less time in new oak? It’s hard to believe that the finished wine would suffer.