# Côte Rôtie La Mouline (2019)

- **Producer:** E. Guigal
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Syrah, Viognier
- **Region:** Rhône Valley, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €390
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** black cherry, black plum, violet, black pepper, cedar, cloves, chocolate, vanilla, smoke, forest floor, tobacco, earth, leather

## About this wine

Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 2019 originates from the historic Côte-Rôtie appellation in the Northern Rhône Valley. La Mouline is Guigal's oldest single-vineyard site, featuring vines that average 75-90 years old, with some dating back to the 1890s. This particular cuvée is known for its unique aromatic profile and texture, partly attributed to the co-fermentation of 89% Syrah with 11% Viognier. The vineyard itself is a steeply terraced amphitheater on the Côte Blonde, with soils composed of gneiss and limestone loess. The 2019 vintage in the Northern Rhône was characterized by a warm, dry summer, leading to excellent grape maturation and resulting in powerful, well-balanced wines.

## Interesting facts

- La Mouline vineyard walls are 2,400 years old.
- It's Guigal's first single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie, acquired in 1963.
- The wine is sometimes called the 'feminine' Côte-Rôtie due to its aromatic finesse.
- This is a 'cuvée confidentielle' with very limited annual production.

## Food pairing

The wine's full body and firm tannins are well-suited to rich proteins like lamb and beef, where they can cut through the fat and complement the meat's texture. The aromatic complexity of the wine, with its potential herbal and floral notes, can echo or contrast with herbs and fruits in dishes, creating harmonious pairings. The wine's structure also allows it to stand up to intensely flavored dishes.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 2019 begins with hand-harvested grapes. Fermentation and maceration take place in thermoregulated stainless steel vats for about four weeks, employing traditional pump-overs. A key technique is the co-fermentation of the Syrah and Viognier grapes. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes an extensive aging period of 40-42 months, exclusively in new oak barrels. The average yield is maintained at 35 hl/hectare.