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[[Image:Guigal La Mouline.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The label on a bottle of Guigal La Mouline one of the "La La's"]]
'''Guigal''', formally ''Établissements Guigal'', is a [[winery]] and [[négociant]] business situated in [[Ampuis]] in the southern part of the [[Rhône (wine region)|Rhône]] region in [[France]]. Guigal produces wine from appellations across the Rhône region, but is particularly noted for their [[Côte-Rôtie]] wines and played a pioneering role in improving Côte-Rôtie's international reputation.<ref name="OCW">{{cite encyclopedia |editor=Jancis Robinson |editor-link=Jancis Robinson |encyclopedia=[[Oxford Companion to Wine]] |edition=Third |title=Guigal |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-860990-6 |page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/336 336] |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00janc/page/336 }}</ref> Guigal's single vineyard wines ''La Mouline'', ''La Landonne'' and ''La Turque'' (sometimes referred to collectively as "La La's"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wineanorak.com/coterotie.htm |title=Spotlight on Côte Rôtie |publisher=WineAnorak |date=2002-04-17 |accessdate=2010-05-18}}</ref>) are internationally renowned.<ref name="Parker">{{cite book|first= Robert|last= Parker|title= The World's Greatest Wine Estates | publisher = Simon & Schuster |year=2005 |page=361| isbn=978-0-7432-3771-0}}</ref> In 2007, the release of the 2003 [[vintage]] of Guigal's "La La" wines set the record for most expensive release of any Rhone wine, with bottles retailing for as much as $800.<ref name="WS070208">J. Molesworth ''"[http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Guigal-Sets-Price-Record-for-Rhone_3408 Guigal Sets Price Record for Rhône]"'' Wine Spectator,  Feb 8th, 2007</ref>
== History ==
Guigal was established in 1946 by Étienne Guigal, who had worked for [[Vidal Fleury]] for 15 years before setting up his own business. It has been managed by his son Marcel Guigal since 1961. In 1984, Guigal bought Vidal Fleury but continues to operate it as a separate business. In 2000, Guigal bought and absorbed two other wineries: the estate Jean-Louis Grippat in [[Saint-Joseph AOC|Saint-Joseph]] and the Domaine de Vallouit, with vineyard holdings in Côte-Rôtie, [[Hermitage AOC|Hermitage]], Saint-Joseph and [[Crozes-Hermitage]], which added some high-end vineyards in other appellations to the Guigal range. In 2006 the Domaine de Bonserine was purchased by Guigal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/E-Guigal-Buys-Neighboring-Domaine-de-Bonserine_3122 |title=E. Guigal Buys Neighboring Domaine de Bonserine |publisher=Wine Spectator |date= |accessdate=2010-05-18}}</ref> In recent years, Marcel's son Philippe Guigal has been active as a [[winemaker]] at Guigal.<ref name="OCW"/><ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/domaine.php Guigal: The Estate]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref>
Guigal, under Marcel Guigal, came to international fame in the early- to mid-1980s when [[Robert M. Parker, Jr.]] followed by other wine critics heaped praise on Guigal's top Côte-Rôtie wines, in particular the three single vineyard wines ''La Mouline'', ''La Landonne'' and ''La Turque''. Parker comments that "In the past 26 years I have spent visiting wineries and vignerons, I have never seen a producer so fanatical about quality as Marcel Guigal."<ref name="Parker"/> This attention contributed to the Rhône wines' improved international fame in general, and in particular led Côte-Rôtie to be seen more on par with Hermitage than in previous times.<ref name="OCW"/> This also meant that the top Côte-Rôtie wines increased in price to reach and later follow and sometimes surpass that of the top Hermitage wines.<ref name="WS070208"/> In 2006 Marcel Guigal was awarded the [[Decanter (magazine)|Decanter]] Man of the Year award for his contribution and dedication to the Rhône.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/inside060324.html |title=News from Ampuis |publisher=Jancis Robinson |date= |accessdate=2010-05-18 |archive-date=2012-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233513/http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/inside060324.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Wines and vineyard holdings ==
[[File:Guigal bottles.jpg|thumb|Four bottles of Guigal wine showing the different label designs. The two bottles on the left carry the standard Guigal label and the two bottles on the right are high-end wines with individual label designs.]]
Guigal produces a wide range of red, white and rosé wine from the northern and southern Rhône appellations. These wines are sold under the [[Appellation d'origine contrôlée|appellation]]'s name with similar-looking wine labels across the range.
The high-end wines, on the other hand, have individual labels of very varying design and mostly carry vineyard designations, sometimes an official [[lieu-dit]] and sometimes Guigal's own designation. These wines are only produced from Guigal's own vineyards.
Guigals total vineyard holdings is slightly over {{convert|45|ha}},<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vignoble.php Guigal: The Vineyard]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref> of which around half is in Côte-Rôtie.<ref name="OCW"/>
Of the 25,000 cases of wine typically made in the [[Condrieu AOC|Condrieu]] appellation each vintage, around 45% is produced by Guigal.<ref name="Parker" />
=== Côte-Rôtie wines ===
The Côte-Rôtie wines, for which Guigal is most famous, are produced on three quality levels:
* ''Brune et Blonde de Guigal'' (previously known as just ''Brune et Blonde''), the basic Côte-Rôtie carrying the names of the ''Côte Brune'' and ''Côte Blonde'' parts of the appellation, and featuring a standard Guigal label. Typically a blend of 4% [[Viognier]] and 96% [[Syrah]].<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=12 Guigal: The Wines - Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref>
* ''Château d'Ampuis'', a blend of six vineyards of ''Côte Brune'' and ''Côte Blonde'',<ref name=TheNewFrance>{{cite book|first= Andrew|last= Jefford|title= The New France | publisher =Mitchell Beazley |year=2006 |page=142 |isbn=978-1-84533-000-2}}</ref> and priced between the ''Brune et Blonde'' and the vineyard-designated wines. Typically a blend of 7% Viognier and 93% Syrah.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=44 Guigal: The Wines - Côte-Rôtie "Château d'Ampuis"]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref> Produced since the 1995 vintage, it is named after the 11th century fort and [[Monument historique|historical monument]] in [[Ampuis]] that was purchased in 1995, restored and setup as Guigal headquarters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syrah-du-monde.com/pages/60_parte/ampuis.en.html |title=Chateau of Ampuis |publisher=Syrah du Monde |date= |accessdate=2010-05-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guigal.com/en/domaine.php |title=The Estate - Page 3 |publisher=Guigal |date= |accessdate=2010-05-18}}</ref>
* ''La Landonne'', a vineyard-designated wine made from 100% Syrah, and therefore often the most [[tannins (wine)|tannic]] of the three top wines.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=3 Guigal: The Wines - La Landonne]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref> Produced since the 1978 vintage.
* ''La Mouline'', a vineyard-designated wine from a parcel inside the lieu-dit Côte Blonde. Typically a blend of 11% Viognier and 89% Syrah and therefore often the most floral of three top wines. First vintage was 1966.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=1 Guigal: The Wines - La Mouline]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref>
* ''La Turque'', a vineyard-designated wine from a parcel inside the lieu-dit Côte Brune. Typically a blend of 7% Viognier and 93% Syrah and often described as intermediate between La Landonne and La Mouline in style. First vintage was 1985.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=2 Guigal: The Wines - La Turque]. Retrieved January 6, 2010.</ref>
For the vineyard Côte-Rôties, Guigal has received more 100 point ratings by Robert M. Parker than any other single wine producer. As of 2009, this meant 21 wines, consisting of seven vintages of La Landonne (1985-2005), nine vintages of La Mouline (1976-2005), and five vintages of La Turque (1985-2005).<ref>[http://erobertparker.com eRobertParker] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107141936/http://www.erobertparker.com/ |date=2010-01-07 }}. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref>
=== Other high-end wines ===
*[[Condrieu AOC|Condrieu]] ''La Doriane'', from the three lieux-dits ''Côte Chatillon'', ''Colombier'' and ''Coteau de Chéry''.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=5 Guigal: The Wines - Condrieu - "La Doriane"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref>
*Condrieu ''Luminiscence'', a sweet Condrieu only produced in some vintages.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=6 Guigal: The Wines - Condrieu - "Luminiscence"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref>
*[[Hermitage AOC|Ermitage]] ''Ex Voto'' red, from [[old vine]]s in the four lieux-dits ''Bessards'', ''Greffieux'', ''Murands'' and ''Hermite''. 100% Syrah.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=8 Guigal: The Wines - Ermitage red - "Ex-Voto"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref> Produced since the 2000 vintage.<ref name="OCW"/>
*Ermitage ''Ex Voto'' white, from old vines in the two lieux-dits ''Murets'' (90% of the wine) and ''Hermite'' (10% of the wine). Typically a blend of 90% [[Marsanne]] and 10% [[Roussanne]].<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=7 Guigal: The Wines - Ermitage white - "Ex-Voto"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref> Produced since the 2001 vintage.
*[[Saint-Joseph AOC|Saint-Joseph]] ''Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph'' red. 100% Syrah.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=11 Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph red - "Lieu dit Saint-Joseph"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref>
*Saint-Joseph ''Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph'' white. Typically a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=10 Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph white - "Lieu dit Saint-Joseph"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref>
*Saint-Joseph ''Vignes de l'Hospice'' red. Produced from a formerly church-owned vineyard that was divided between the two estates of Grippat and Vallouit before it was bought by Guigal. 100% Syrah.<ref>[http://www.guigal.com/en/vins.php?id_produit=9 Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph red - "Vignes de l'Hospice"]. Retrieved January 6, 2009.</ref> Produced since the 1999 vintage and priced higher than the ''Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph'' wine.
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.guigal.com/}}
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[[Category:Wineries of France]]