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Côte Rôtie La Mouline, Etienne Guigal 2003

RegionRhône
Subregion France > Rhône > Northern Rhône > Côte Rotie
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietySyrah

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Tasting Notes

The 2003 Cote Rotie La Mouline is by far the most delicate and elegant wine (11% Viognier is co-fermented with 89% Syrah). but the enormous aromatics of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, black raspberry, mocha, caramel, and cola, and enormous full-bodied opulence and striking velvety, seamless texture make for one of the most memorable wines anyone could every drink. This wine should age effortlessly for 25-30 or more years.

100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007

A desert island wine (as is just about any top vintage of the cuvee) and a gorgeous showing, the 2003 Cote Rotie la Mouline is drinking beautifully, yet is still young, loaded with fruit, and possesses over-the-top richness. Giving up notions of plum, liquid flowers, potpourri and smoked meats, this puppy is full-bodied, massive and layered on the palate, with a stacked mid-palate, thrilling amounts of texture, and a blockbuster-styled finish. There's nothing classic about it, but it's still as good as it gets.

100
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (214), August 2014

Racy and defined, with a torrent of pure red currant and raspberry ganache amd a mouthwatering mineral note. Has a terrific spine, with iron and spice notes mingling with the endless stream of raspberry fruit. A really stunning display of fruit and precision. Drink now through 2030.

99
James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com, July 2007
Read more tasting notes...

The 2003 Cote Rotie La Mouline (11% Viognier included) offers an extraordinary perfume of litchi nuts, honeysuckle, creme de cassis, smoky bacon, and espresso aromas. This huge, full-bodied, opulent red is already irresistible, and should age well for two decades or more.

Marcel and Philippe Guigal, never content to rest on their already impressive credentials, announced that in the future, they expect to release another single vineyard Cote Rotie from a 3.7 acre parcel in the Viria vineyard on the Cote Brune. The first vintage or two will probably be added to the Chateau d’Ampuis. If the potential turns out to be as exceptional as they believe, lovers of these great wines will have a fourth single vineyard Cote Rotie called Viria to contemplate.

There are many admirable things about Marcel Guigal, but most significant is that he has been a qualitative locomotive that has brought attention to the Rhone Valley, and has raised the quality bar for the entire region. More importantly, he realizes that most consumers will have access only to his least expensive wines from the Cotes du Rhone, so he has made every effort to continue to increase the quality of both his white and red Cotes du Rhones. His Cotes du Rhone whites have jumped in quality as he has settled on a general blend of approximately 50% Viognier and the rest Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Grenache Blanc

99/100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (163), February 2006

This is a prodigious effort that may eclipse any other vintage Guigal has ever produced! It possesses similarities to the 1999, but it is even higher in alcohol, more unctuously textured, thicker, and longer. Encapsulate the character of this single vineyard in a top year, add more depth, intensity, alcohol, and power, and this describes this freakishly rich 2003. It will be released after spending 42 months in 100% new oak casks, so consumers will have to wait until 2008 to purchase this stupendous gem. This 2003 is literally off the charts, as are many of the northern Rhones in this vintage. La Mouline is a thirty year wine.This is the stuff of modern day legends. As for what it actually tastes like, just take my notes for any of the great vintages and add more power, glycerin, alcohol, tannin, and concentration ... that about defines this 2003!

99/100
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (156), December 2004

Always the most forward, the 2003 Cote Rotie La Mouline incorporates a whopping 11% Viognier and spent 48 months in new barrels. Heavenly stuff, with sweet cassis, kirsch, roasted meats and exotic spice and floral-driven aromas and flavors, it's massive and voluptuous on the palate, with no hard edges, thrilling concentration and a finish to die for. It's the texture that sets this cuvee apart, and it's as good as it gets. I was able to taste the 1999 La Mouline just prior to this, and this 2003 is every bit as good, if not better. Still a baby, enjoy it anytime over the coming two decades.

Robert Parker has been singing the praises of the wines of Marcel and Philippe Guigal for years now, and I'm happy to pick up the torch going forward. In 2003, harvest here occurred between the August 21 and 31, with yields down over 60%. The wines took five weeks to ferment dry, were never acidified, and spent roughly 48 months in new oak prior to bottling. What comes out of the bottle now is sheer magic.

100
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (212), May 2014

Racy and defined, with a torrent of pure red currant and raspberry ganache that pours out from the core, around which a mouthwatering mineral note swirls. Has a terrific spine, with iron and spice notes mingling
with the endless stream of raspberry fruit. Purer than the La Landonne and the La Turque in 2003, without the vintage’s extra roasted power. A really stunning display of fruit and precision. Drink now through 2030.

99
James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com, May 2007
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.