1996 Cote Rotie La Mouline

Medium red-ruby. Classic Northern Rhone syrah aromas of crystallized black raspberry, roasted game and pepper, plus an herbal element. Penetrating and tightly wound but not hard; seemed to harmonize with aeration. Quite juicy and pristine. Finishes very long and brisk, with fine tannins and the piquant acidity of the year. This will never be a fleshy La Mouline, but several additional years of aging should bring more aromatic complexity and pliancy.

The 1996 Cote Rotie La Mouline possesses the highest percentage of Viognier (17-18%) Guigal has ever included in this offering. The deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a superb bouquet of spice box, cedar, leather, honeysuckle, and jammy black fruits. It is remarkably tender and soft for a vintage that produced high acid wines. Medium-bodied, elegant, and complex, it is one of the more forward and evolved La Moulines, and thus should be drunk over the next 10-12 years. Importer: Fred Ek, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153

The 1996 Cote Rotie La Mouline possesses the highest percentage of Viognier (17-18%) Guigal has ever included in this offering. The deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a superb bouquet of spice box, cedar, leather, honeysuckle, and jammy black fruits. It is remarkably tender and soft for a vintage that produced high acid wines. Medium-bodied, elegant, and complex, it is one of the more forward and evolved La Moulines, and thus should be drunk over the next 10-12 years. Feb 2001, www.robertparker.com