Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Rhône > Northern Rhône > Côte Rotie |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Etienne Guigal
Not scheduled to be on the market until November of 2023, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Chateau D'Ampuis is nevertheless a remarkable Côte Rôtie that readers will love to have in the cellar. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue as well as awesome Côte Rôtie notes of smoked game, violets, acacia flowers, and both red and black fruits, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has polished, seamless tannins, and a layered, perfectly balanced mouthfeel. It shows the softer style of the vintage (especially compared to the more structured, tannic 2019) and already offers pleasure, but this will easily evolve for at least two decades. 2023 - 2038
Smoky, briary and complex, the 2018 Cote Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis spent 38 months in new oak, yet it still exudes notes of blackberries and blueberries, testament to the wine's ample concentration. It's full-bodied and rich yet silky and long, with hints of mocha and brown sugar appearing on the finish. It's another beautiful vintage of this cuvée, which combines fruit from seven different parcels (three on the Cote Blonde and four on the Cote Brune).
Lastly, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Château D'Ampuis is going to flirt with perfection and is about as classic Côte Rôtie as they come. Lots of cassis, graphite, spring flowers, vanilla, and game notes all give way to a full-bodied Côte Rôtie that’s flawlessly balanced, has silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This will be another stunning vintage for this wine that readers can find for a fraction of the cost of the top La Las. It’s worth the money.
Built along the lines of the 2015, the 2018 Cote Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis is full-bodied, rich, ripe and concentrated. It seems awfully easy to drink right now, yet I'm confident the underlying structure will be revealed in time. Vanilla and mocha notes accent huge fruit—a mix of blueberries and raspberries—finishing plush and long.