* Philippe Guigal (jan. 2008) : “A lot of wine from the Plan de Dieu and Lirac and Vacqueyras this year (= vintage 2005).”
* DETAILS :
55-60% Syrah from the Gard département
30-40% Grenache
5-10% old Mourvèdre from Courthézon near Châteauneuf-du-Pape
from 850 domaines
aged 60% vat, 40% large 50 hl barrels 12 months, unfined, filtered, 2.7 million b.
* John Livingstone-Learmonth : "Not necessarily top marks for originality, but under our noses can reside hidden gems. The Guigal Côtes du Rhône red is often given a good note in newspaper columns as value for money, but in 2005 the wine goes that extra furlong to provide dashing fruit and real flair. It is always a wine that can evolve past its first fruit, given that it is founded around Syrah from the west bank Gard department. In 2005, it is structured with more rich matter than usual, and I salute the fact that it is drawn from so many domaines, and involves so many tastings chez Guigal for such an enormous production. Chapeau, Marcel and Philippe! Good with barbecues, prepared meats, spaghettis, vegetarian lasagne." (source :
www.drinkrhone.com)
« The 2005 Cotes du Rhone is a real head turner. Full-bodied, with a deep ruby/purple color and sweet notes of berry fruit, a hint of road tar, and some pepper, the wine is dense, chewy, ripe, and a surprisingly big mouthful of juicy, velvety-textured wine to drink over the next 3-4 years. The Rhone Valley’s most successful producer continues to ratchet up the level of quality of his Cotes du Rhone cuvees, of which he produces hundreds of thousands of cases. Both Marcel Guigal and his son Philippe realize how important quality is and demonstrate that commitment in these lower level wines. They just get better and better, which is incredibly admirable. » - (89) - Wine Advocate # 173 – Robert Parker.
"Based on 55% syrah. Deep red. Intensely perfumed bouquet of dark berries, kirsch, smoked meat, violet and graphite; really showing off the syrah today. Round and sweet, with fleshy cherry, black raspberry and candied flower flavors framed by silky tannins. A deeper cocoa quality joins the dark berries on the finish. This superb Cotes du Rhone is a benchmark for the category." - 89 Points,
International Wine Cellar.
* Eigen bevindingen : Fruitige aanzet met vooral zwarte bessen (en wat kers), wordt in het middenstuk aangevuld door kruiden en wat peper. Soepele tannines. De afdronk is zacht (malolactisch) en behoorlijk qua lengte. Aanrader !
Tinto 
