1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne

100% Syrah, 42 months in 100% new barriques. 800 c/s. La Landonne first bottled 1978. Deep garnet. A mushroomy note on the nose to begin with. Savoury and peppery turning into some sweet red fruit. But also fragrant. Mushroom is the strongest characteristic. Savoury, oak spice on the mid palate. Very, very fine grained but also has a thickness of texture. Pretty dry on the finish at the moment, definitely too young. (JH)

The 1998 Cote Rotie La Landonne is a perfect wine ... at least for my palate. Its saturated black/purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary nose of smoke, incense, tapenade, creosote, blackberry, and currant aromas. It is densely packed with blackberry, truffle, chocolate, and leather-like flavors. The wine possesses high tannin, but perfect harmony, impeccable balance, and gorgeous integration of acidity, alcohol, and tannin. It is a tour de force in winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. Importer: Fred Ek, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153