The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2021
Red WineIssue 47

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2021

E. Guigal

Côtes du Rhône, France
Guigal's Côtes du Rhône Rouge remains one of the great benchmarks for southern Rhône value wine. The 2021 vintage delivers generous fruit concentration while maintaining the savory, slightly wild character that makes this blend so food-friendly. At this price, there's no excuse not to have a case.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berry fruit — blackcurrant and cherry — with undertones of violet and cracked black pepper. A subtle cedar note hovers in the background.

Palate

Medium-bodied with concentrated berry fruit and a savory, gamey mid-palate that adds complexity well beyond the price point. Soft tannins frame hints of vanilla and toasted oak.

Finish

Medium-length with fading cherry, a touch of mint, and clean fruit.

Specifications
Varietal
Syrah
Blend
Approximately 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre
Vineyards
Selected parcels across the Côtes du Rhône appellation
Alcohol
14.5%
Organic / Biodynamic
No
Serve & Pair

Food Pairing

Lamb merguez sausages with couscous and harissa

The Story

Produced by the Guigal family in Ampuis — where patriarch Etienne Guigal founded the house in 1946 — this Côtes du Rhône blends fruit from across the appellation into a wine that has quietly set the standard for the region for decades.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More Red Wine Reviews
G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe DOCG 2019
Red Wine

G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe DOCG 2019

G.D. Vajra

Vajra's Albe bottling is the entry point to the estate's Barolo range, sourced from younger vines across multiple village plots. It delivers textbook Nebbiolo character — roses, tar, cherry — at a price that makes it one of the best introductions to Barolo available. Give it a thirty-minute decant and watch it bloom.

Domaine du Coulet Cornas Brise Cailloux 2020
Red Wine

Domaine du Coulet Cornas Brise Cailloux 2020

Domaine du Coulet

Matthieu Barret farms these granite-slope vineyards with minimal intervention, and Brise Cailloux — meaning 'stone breaker' — is an apt name. This is Cornas that demands patience: give it thirty minutes in the glass and it will reward you with one of the Northern Rhône's most compelling expressions of Syrah. Serious wine for serious drinkers.

Passopisciaro Contrada G Terre Siciliane IGT 2021
Red Wine

Passopisciaro Contrada G Terre Siciliane IGT 2021

Passopisciaro

Andrea Franchetti's Passopisciaro project maps Etna's north face contrada by contrada, and Guardiola (G) consistently delivers some of the estate's most expressive wines. The Nerello Mascalese grown in these volcanic soils produces a wine that can feel almost Burgundian in its transparency—but the mineral intensity is purely Sicilian.

Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Dame Voyageuse 2021
Red Wine

Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Dame Voyageuse 2021

Domaine de la Mordorée

La Dame Voyageuse is Mordorée's accessible entry into Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and it overdelivers. The Grenache-dominant blend captures the warmth and generosity of the southern Rhône while retaining enough structure and freshness to age gracefully for five to eight years. A wine that rewards both immediate pleasure and cellar patience.