1999 Hermitage

Philippe Guigal provided stark evidence of thex000D difficulty of the 2002 harvest for Rhone Valley growers. Because of the rain and thex000D possibility of quickly spreading rot we moved up our harvest dates three orx000D four times, then picked everything in an amazingly short window," he toldx000D me. All of the Guigals' Cote-Rotiex000D fruit was in by September 20, even the grapes destined for the family's fabledx000D La-La wines. Fruit sugars reached 11.5%x000D for syrah, according to Philippe, but 13.8% for the Condrieu Doriane. There was much less rot in thex000D viognier vines, even in the same parcels as syrah," he added. Guigal fans will not want to miss thex000D house's sensational 1999 Cote-Rotie special cuvees, which will be shipped inx000D late winter.