2016 Gigondas

E. Guigal’s excellent, seldom-discussed Gigondas, needs some introduction for many people. Guigal is synonymous with Côte-Rôtie, of course, and the Northern Rhône in general, where they are one of the region’s single largest producers. However, the Guigal family has been making wine from the south since the winery was established in 1946. Today, they produce, on average, 10,000 cases of classically proportioned Gigondas per vintage, which makes them a serious presence in the appellation. The wines are slowly released after bottles age for varying degrees depending on the vintage. There’s an acknowledgment that the wines are mostly consumed quickly after entering the market, especially in restaurants. Philippe Guigal says, “we want to provide a wine that is at least starting to show a bit of complexity.”