2000 Condrieu

Marcel Guigal, the locomotive of the Northern Rhone Valley, has added another couple of cars to his train with the purchase of the Jean-Louis Grippat domain and the house of de Vallouit, both deals consummated in 2001. Following the permission granted by authorities to use the lieu-dit Saint-Joseph to distinguish the wine made from Grippat's prime holding at the original heart of the appellation, Guigal will offer no fewer than three red Saint-Joseph bottlings beginning with vintage '99. Guigal also picked up Hermitage vines through both purchases; previously he owned no vines in this appellation. Also beginning with the '99 vintage, there will be a negociant bottling of Crozes-Hermitage, made entirely from hillside fruit. My meeting this year with Marcel's son Philippe climaxed, as always, with a barrel tasting of three vintages of Guigal's fabled Cote-Roties La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne, always a highlight of my annual Rhone Valley tour.