Côte Rôtie La Mouline, Etienne Guigal 2020

I'm not sure the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline will match the 2019, but it's still early to be making any final conclusions, as these wines have an uncanny ability to gain in richness and depth over their élevage. Cassis, violets, spring flowers, and scorched earth define the bouquet, and it's more reserved, focused, and elegant on the palate. This full-bodied, concentrated, pure, beautifully balanced effort is loaded with potential.

Dominated by dark notes of espresso, black olive and pumpernickel, the 2020 Cote Rotie La Mouline was missing the vineyard's normally expressive floral aromas on this occasion. Full-bodied and rich, it's an atypically muscular and closed vintage of La Mouline right now. It will be interesting to see how it evolves over the next few years of élevage.

Looking like a classic expression of this terroir, the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline just about jumps out of the glass with its exotic, sexy bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, espresso, and flowers. Rich, full-bodied, and as seamless as they come, this is another singular, magical wine from this team.