The vinous colonist of Côte Rôtie & the next generation – an evening with Philippe Guigal

Philippe Guigal is the 3rd generation of the vignerons that firmly put Côte Rôtie on the map. We were fortunate enough to welcome him to the St James’s Room earlier this month.

Together with his wife, Eve, Philippe continues the family’s lifetime endeavour to produce some of the greatest wines of the Rhône Valley; an ‘insiders’ appellation that found its way only in local restaurants and hotels, and needed the pioneering vision of Etienne and Marcel Guigal to win people’s hearts with their fantastic wines.

Philippe guided our guests through the history of the Domaine, their continuous investment in the vineyards and the painstaking job of making wine in such steep and rocky vineyards. However, it is the nature of these vineyards that gives Syrah its wonderful expression of dark berry fruits, wrapped with silky tannins and the unmistakable spiciness of ground white pepper.

Guests enjoyed their white Condrieu and their top cuvée of La Doriane, also made of Viognier before going on a tour around the various expressions of Syrah from the regions in Northern Rhône; something quite unique to put in perspective of terroir and the differences between areas that are just a few miles apart from each other.

The icing on the cake was ending the tasting with La Turque, a single vineyard Côte Rôtie, one of their 3 famous LaLas which is barely a hectare of perfect south exposure that acts as a sun trap, and gives some of the most sensuous, exotic and exuberant styles of the grape.

“In the past 20 years I have spent visiting wineries and vignerons, I have never seen a producer so fanatical about quality as Marcel Guigal.” Robert Parker