Côte Rôtie La Mouline, Etienne Guigal 1999

The most developed, evolved and forward of the three La-La’s in this vintage is the dense purple-colored 1999 Cote Rotie La Mouline. An extraordinary effort, it offers a smorgasbord of aromas and flavors. Scents of violets, raspberries, blackberries, roasted espresso, balsamic vinegar, and pepper tumble out of the glass. It is unctuously-textured, full-bodied, and fabulously concentrated with a tremendous purity and seamlessness that must be tasted to be believed. A wine of singular greatness, it can be drunk young, but should be at its finest between 2005-2020.

Pure perfection from this estate, the 1999 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is as seamless and sexy as wine gets, and I certainly can't imagine how it could be better. A healthy, mature ruby hue is followed by classic La Mouline sweet red and black fruits as well as notes of smoked game, flowery incense, spice, and some meaty nuances. It's full-bodied, has a layered, elegant mouthfeel, terrific concentration, resolved tannins, and a great, great finish. A quintessential expression of this warmer terroir, it's drinking at point today and won't get better, but it has another two decades of evolution and life. 2022 - 2042

This wine is perfect. It is undoubtedly the greatest vintage for Guigal since 1978. Take all the characteristics I described for the wines in 1998 and 1997, then add an ethereal lightness of character, surreal aromatics, and a seamlessness that is uncanny given the massive richness and layers of flavors this wine possesses. The explosive aromatics tend to be more exaggerated in 1999. The wine is more evolved and seductive than the 1998s, but its aging potential should not be underestimated. It has at least two decades of life. In short, Guigal has performed a classic hat trick in 1999 with his La La's. It will be released in February, 2003.

These tasting notes will not surprise any longtime readers. I have never made a secret of the fact that if I had only one wine left to drink, I would want it to be one of the great vintages of Guigal's Cote Rotie La Mouline. This wine's aromatic fireworks, sumptuous texture, and seamless personality represent perfection. While the percentage of Viognier blended with Syrah can vary from 8-12% (even higher in a vintage such as 1996), this remains one of the world's most intensely perfumed and compelling wines.

Every vintage has its share of bacon fat, toast, cassis, acacia flower, black raspberry, creme de cassis, and tapenade notes. A voluptuous texture, sweet tannin, and a satiny smooth demeanor are hallmarks of La Mouline, whether it's a difficult (1974) or great vintage (1999). As it ages, aromas of violets and peaches also emerge. All of the "La La" offerings (as Guigal's fans call them) are aged 42 months in 100% new Francois Freres barrels, experience minimal racking as well as sulphur, and are bottled with neither fining nor filtration. While critics call them branded wines, they always emerge from the same vineyard parcels. In response to the criticism that they are oaky, virtually no new wood can be detected in the wines after 6-8 years of cellaring.

The 1999 Cote Rotie la Mouline is straight-up awesome on all accounts. Drinking beautifully, with explosive aromas and flavors of blackberry, smoked meats, pepper and exotic flowers, this puppy hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration and a seamless, sexy and oh, so fine texture that is the hallmark of this cuvee. This is another wine that will continue to evolve gracefully, yet I've been lucky enough to have it multiple times recently, and when a bottle is drinking this good, don't miss it by always waiting for another day.