TN: E.Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2016

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

I don't usually do this, but, after decanting and initial tasting, I checked out the website to find out more about the wine. It's 100% Syrah, and fermented in stainless steel vats at high temperatures. 3 weeks maceration in vats followed by 18 months in oak. Decanted 90 minutes before service.

Now back to me .....

Crimson in colour, ruby bright in the glass.

Nose on decanting: tar, bright red berries and jumping out of the glass. After decanting, blackberry, vanilla, dark cherries, savoury oak characters in a more sedate manner.

The palate shows more dark cherries and developed black fruits along with a little five spice. Tannins are thick and there’s a sense of concrete dust or tar on the mid and back palate. Acid is present, but moderate only. Quite a long finish, and more about texture than the fruit. Almost a meal in itself.

A conundrum, however: the cork (see picture) states Chateau Ampuis. I don’t think this isn’t a mis-labelled bottle (I’ve only tasted a couple, however), but if anyone has had a similar experience, I’d love to hear about it.

Cheers
Allan

CH.jpg

Cork.jpg

[Ian S]

FWIW the company name at the bottom of the label also says Ch d'Ampuis, so it might be as simple as a subtle tweak to the branding when they moved their HQ there.

[Mahmoud Ali]

The wine sounds lovely Ian. The quality of Guigal's humbler wines are always impressive, even the Cotes-du-Rhones which are made in industrial quantities.

Cheers ............ Mahmoud.