Guigal Cotes du Rhone (2009)

"This one was blended and bottled only in November. Selection very difficult because of the dry tannins. All southern Rhône, 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre. Lots of Syrah from St-Martin d'Ardèche.

Light and dryish – not at all opulent, super-ripe or sweet. Quite a serious style.

This red Côtes du Rhône is the Guigals' major production: all 3.5 million bottles of it. Such a quantity of wine is needed that the blend contains wine from as many as 500 different growers. It is very different from most Côtes du Rhônes (one of the best-value appellations in the world in my view). While 95% of all Côtes du Rhône is based on Grenache Noir, the Guigal blend has always showcased Syrah. It used to be the dominant ingredient in the Guigal blend but for the last 10 years the wine has been made of roughly equal parts of Syrah and Grenache sourced from the southern half of France's Rhône valley.

The 2009 blend, not made until the end of last year, is roughly 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache Noir and 5% Mourvèdre but, in view of the Guigals' disapproval of the dry tannins of the southern Rhône's 2009s as reported in Southern Rhône 20009 - an overview, they found it particularly difficult to find ingredients for this blend. Much of the Syrah came from the Ardèche and was vinified very traditionally with a long pre-fermentation maceration and prolonged ageing in large oak foudres - 18 months, much longer than most Côtes du Rhônes.

This is always one of the latest Côtes du Rhônes to be released and always has a longer life than most. I have suggested in my tasting note that it could be drunk at any time over the next three years but in fact my experience suggests that this wine will last quite a bit longer than that. The 2009 still exhibits much more savour and less obvious sweetness than most Côtes du Rhônes but it is richer than most Guigal Côtes du Rhône blends, thanks to the extreme ripeness of the vintage. The alcohol level on the label is 14% and the Mourvèdre has given the wine a little extra spiciness. You could certainly drink it now with pleasure - though I would suggest that its structure makes it a red for the table rather than for drinking without food. It went very well with a Cumberland sausage toad in the hole kindly cooked for me on Wednesday night by our son."

Jancis Robinson