Guigal

Domaine Guigal: an icon of the Rhône Valley and its great terroirs

Les Vins de Carole offers a full selection of Guigal wines to buy: Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde, La Landonne, La Mouline, La Turque, the Côte-Rôtie Trilogie and Quadrilogie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, red and white Côtes du Rhône, as well as the Château de Nalys cuvées from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Several vintages are available, depending on the cuvée.

Estate name

Domaine Guigal (E. Guigal)

Wine region

Rhône Valley: Northern and Southern Rhône

Appellations and terroirs

Domaine Guigal is based in Ampuis, at the heart of Côte-Rôtie, the emblematic terroir of the Northern Rhône. Here it crafts exceptional cuvées from the prestigious parcels of the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde, as well as from legendary lieux-dits such as La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne. These steep terroirs, with their schist, granite and mica-schist soils, produce wines of rare intensity and legendary complexity. In the south, Château de Nalys, owned by the estate since 2017, embodies excellence in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its rounded pebbles, red sandstone and perfectly exposed sandy soils.

Signature grape varieties

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre (reds); Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne (whites)

Philosophy and history

Founded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal in Ampuis, the ancient village that is the cradle of the Côte-Rôtie appellation, the Guigal house has its roots in a winemaking tradition stretching back two thousand years. Having started out as an apprentice at Vidal-Fleury at the age of 14, Étienne learned his craft there before founding his own house; his son Marcel took over the reins in 1961, after his father lost his sight. Joined in 1973 by his wife Bernadette, Marcel developed the estate with rare rigour and ambition. Their son Philippe, a trained oenologist, now represents the third generation, alongside his wife Eve. Together, they carry on a family legacy of excellence in the service of the Rhône's greatest terroirs. The purchase of Château d'Ampuis in 1995, followed by Château de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 2017, reflects the estate's constant ambition: to champion the finest appellations of the Rhône Valley, with respect for origin and for the long view.

Production specifics

Harvesting is done by hand, the grapes are meticulously sorted and each parcel is vinified separately. Long macerations, gentle extraction and extended ageing (up to 42 months in mostly new barrels for the La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque cuvées) give the wines exceptional depth and complexity. The modern underground cellar in Ampuis, opened in 2003, allows complete control over the winemaking and ageing process. For entry-level cuvées such as the red Côtes du Rhône, the emphasis is on aromatic freshness and approachability, with no compromise on the quality of the blends.

Flagship cuvées available at Les Vins de Carole

• The Côte-Rôtie Trilogie and Quadrilogie: collector's boxes bringing together La Landonne, La Mouline, La Turque and, since the 2021 vintage, La Reynarde. The Quadrilogie 2022 and the Trilogie 2021 are available in our cellar.
• Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde: the estate's benchmark blend, from the two emblematic slopes of Ampuis. The 2021 vintage is available, as is a 2022 magnum.
• Côte-Rôtie lieux-dits: La Mouline (2020, 2021, 2022), La Landonne (2021, 2022), La Turque (2020, 2021, 2022) and La Reynarde (2022).
• Château d'Ampuis Côte-Rôtie: made from seven historic parcels selected around the château. The 2019 vintage is available in our selection.
• Condrieu: a white from Viognier grown on granite. Available: Condrieu 2023 and the single-parcel La Doriane 2022.
• Saint-Joseph: a 100% Syrah red and a Marsanne/Roussanne white. Available in red (2021, Lieu-dit 2023) and in white (Lieu-dit 2023).
• Crozes-Hermitage: an approachable interpretation of Rhône Syrah. The 2021 red is available.
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Nalys: red (2020), white ‘Grand Vin’ (2020, 2018) and red ‘Grand Vin’ (2019).
• Gigondas and Tavel: two southern expressions of the Rhône. Available: Gigondas red 2021 and Tavel rosé 2023.
• Côtes du Rhône: the estate's entry-level range, consistent and precise. Available: red 2023 (also in magnum), white 2025.

Recognition

Domaine Guigal is one of the most highly awarded producers in the world. La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne regularly receive scores above 98/100 from Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and James Suckling. The Revue du Vin de France and Bettane+Desseauve guides praise its level of excellence every year. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Nalys confirms these high standards, with wines praised by critics from their very first releases.

Why choose a Domaine Guigal wine?

• Family expertise handed down over three generations at the very top of the Rhône Valley
• Legendary cuvées from the greatest terroirs: La Landonne, La Mouline, La Turque, La Reynarde
• An instantly recognisable style: depth, long ageing, precise blending
• An emblematic estate in Côte-Rôtie and Châteauneuf-du-Pape alike
• Wines acclaimed internationally by the world's leading wine critics

To explore the Guigal appellations further, read our articles on the best Côte-Rôtie vintages, our Côte-Rôtie vs Hermitage comparison, and the great whites of the Northern Rhône.

Frequently asked questions about Guigal wines

What is the difference between Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde and Guigal's single-vineyard lieux-dits?

Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde is the estate's benchmark blend: it brings together grapes from the two historic slopes of Ampuis, the Côte Brune, with its schist and iron-rich clay soils, and the Côte Blonde, with its lighter gneiss and mica-schist soils. It is aged for around 36 months in new barrels. The single-vineyard lieux-dits (La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque and La Reynarde), by contrast, each come from a single parcel, vinified separately and aged for up to 42 months. They represent the most concentrated and most finely drawn expression of each terroir, at a noticeably higher level of price and ageing potential.

What are the differences between La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque?

All three lieux-dits share the same 42-month ageing in new barrels, but their terroirs and grape varieties set them clearly apart. La Mouline (Côte Blonde, gneiss soil) includes up to 11% Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah, which gives it a silky texture and characteristic floral aromas. La Landonne (Côte Brune, black schist soil) is 100% Syrah from one of the darkest, most iron-rich terroirs in Ampuis: it is the most tannic and the most austere of the three on opening, with the greatest ageing potential. La Turque (also Côte Brune, with a small proportion of Viognier, around 7%) sits between the two, combining the power of the Côte Brune with a more open aromatic touch.

How much do Guigal wines cost?

The Guigal range covers a very wide spectrum of prices. The red Côtes du Rhône starts at €9.90 and offers an accessible way into the estate's philosophy. The Brune & Blonde is priced at €60 and the Château d'Ampuis at €108. The single-vineyard lieux-dits (La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque, La Reynarde) sell for €390-450 a bottle depending on the vintage, and the Trilogie and Quadrilogie boxes for €1,170 and €1,800.

How long can Guigal wines be kept?

Ageing potential varies greatly across the range. The Côtes du Rhône and the Tavel rosé are best drunk within 3 to 5 years of the vintage. The Brune & Blonde ideally keeps for 10 to 20 years. The single-vineyard lieux-dits (led by La Landonne, thanks to its firm tannic structure) can develop over 25 to 40 years in good cellar conditions (12-14 °C, stable humidity). For recent vintages such as 2021 and 2022, we recommend waiting a minimum of 8 to 12 years before opening the first bottle of the single-vineyard cuvées.

Which Guigal wine should you choose as a gift?

For a memorable gift at around €60, the Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde 2021 is a safe bet, well known to lovers of Rhône wines. For an exceptional gift, the Trilogie or Quadrilogie boxes bring together three or four lieux-dits in a single case: a collector's format that lets you compare the terroirs within the same vintage. For a more modest budget, the Saint-Joseph red 2021 at €25 offers a lovely introduction to Northern Rhône Syrah.

At what temperature should Guigal red wines be served?

Red Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph are served at 16 to 18 °C. For young single-vineyard lieux-dits, decanting for 2 to 3 hours is strongly recommended to let the tannins breathe and the bouquet open up fully, particularly for La Landonne, whose tannic structure remains closed for several years after bottling. The red Côtes du Rhône is served slightly cooler, at around 15-16 °C, with no need to decant.

Are Guigal wines available in several vintages at Les Vins de Carole?

Yes: for several cuvées we offer a vertical of vintages, which is rare for an estate of this renown. The lieux-dits La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque are available in 2020, 2021 and 2022; the Brune & Blonde in 2021 and as a 2022 magnum; and the Château de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 2018, 2019 and 2020 depending on the colour. This multi-vintage availability lets you choose according to your purpose (cellaring or immediate enjoyment) and compare the styles of different harvests.