E. Guigal Winery

E. Guigal photos, charts, maps, and wines.

Prev Next

• Photos < 1 of 6 >
• Stats & Charts < 1 of 2 >
• Google Map

The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the ancient village of Ampuis, home of the wines of the Côte-Rôtie. In these vineyards of over 2400 years old you can still see the small terraced walls characteristic of the Roman period. read more...Etienne Guigal arrived in this region in 1923 at the age of 14. He made wine over 67 vintages and, at the beginning of his career, participated in the development of the Vidal-Fleury establishment.

Despite his young age, Marcel Guigal took over from his father in 1961 when the latter was victim to a brutal illness rendering him blind. Marcel’s hard work and perseverance enabled the Guigals to buy out Vidal-Fleury in 1984, although the establishment retains its own identity and commercial autonomy. In 2000, the Guigals purchased the Jean-Louis GRIPPAT estate in Saint-Joseph and Hermitage as well as the Domaine de VALLOUIT in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

In the cellars of the GUIGAL estate in Ampuis, the northern appellations of the Rhône Valley are produced and aged. These are the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. The great appellations of the Southern Rhône; Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône are also aged in the Ampuis cellars.

Today, Philippe Guigal, oenologist, is the third generation to continue the family endeavour to be at the service of the greatest wines of the Rhône Valley.

United as a family, Bernadette, Marcel and Philippe work together to develop this family owned and run enterprise.

The headquarters of the GUIGAL estate are situated at the Château d’Ampuis whilst the offices and cellars remain in the small ancient village, cradle of the CÔTE-ROTIE appellation.

The Château d’Ampuis is an ancient 12th century fort which was then prettified and developed into a Renaissance Château in the 16th Century ; set amongst the vines and bordered by the king of rivers; the Rhône. This imposing Seat, today classified as an historical monument, was constructed by the powerful Maugiron family and has welcomed several French kings over the centuries. Lovingly restored by the Guigal family since 1995, this jewel of the Renaissance lives again amongst the vineyards of the Côte-Rôtie; its prestigious past and future assured.
Sometimes, in magical places, a dream can endow reality with great beauty.

HOMMAGE TO ETIENNE GUIGAL

Philippe, remember your grandfather who made wine for 67 vintages with such passion. Each day he went down into the cellars and you, as a child, loved to follow him holding his glass and pipette. Slowly, he made a tour of all the barrels and racks looking lovingly at these bottles which triumph over demons, sadness, boredom and time.

His greatest joy was to share, as widely as possible, the emotions and pleasures of wine tasting.

Your truly marvellous grandfather smiled upon these bottles and you thought to yourself: how he loves his cellar. But no son, it was us he loved because he knew that he himself would never taste these rare wines, produced to achieve a grand old age.

THE VINEYARD

The GUIGAL family owns vineyards in Condrieu and in the Côte-Rôtie with illustrious plots producing wines such as ‘La Doriane’ in Condrieu, the famous growths of the Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mouline’, ‘La Turque’ and ‘La Landonne’, Côte-Rôtie Château d’Ampuis, Hermitage ‘Ex-Voto’, produced only in the great vintages and Saint-Joseph ‘Lieu-Dit Saint-Joseph’ in red and white, as well as the famous Saint-Joseph red « Vignes de l’Hospice ». These wines have each become flagships of their appellations.

In the cellars of the GUIGAL estate in Ampuis, the northern appellations of the Rhône Valley are produced and aged. These are the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. The great appellations of the Southern Rhône; Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône are also aged in the Ampuis cellars.

The methods of viticulture are practised with total respect for the environment. Natural methods of combating parasites and disease ensure that the grapes cultivated in the domaine's vineyards fully express the complexity of the greatest terroirs of Condrieu and the Côte-Rôtie.

Thanks to the meticulous selection of the grapes and the application of the highest standards of quality in the winemaking process, the Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie Brune & Blonde wines of the Guigal estate have become flagships of these two prestigious appellations.

The vineyard of the Côte-Rôtie covers approximately 215 hectares comprising the Côte Brune, situated uphill from the Reynard stream and the Côte Blonde, which is situated below. These vines were originally planted over 24 centuries ago by the Romans.

The Côte Brune, exclusively planted with Syrah vines, is recognisable by its virile vegetation.

The Côte Blonde is more serenely feminine due to the inclusion of Viognier vines which add refinement to the Syrah.

A sort of ‘fertile museum’, the yield from this vineyard is naturally limited.

In the Côte-Rôtie, the GUIGAL house owns several jewels including the Côte-Rôtie « La Mouline » situated on the Côte blonde, distinguished by its form which resembles a Roman amphitheatre.

Situated on the Côte Brune, La Turque benefits from full Southern exposure and from a complex terroir made up of shale and iron oxide which lend finesse and strength to this wine.

La Landonne is impressive with its breathtaking slopes of nearly 45 degrees. La Landonne is planted exclusively with Syrah.

Last but not least, the Côte-Rôtie Château d’Ampuis is produced from ancient plots which are amongst some of the finest of the Domaine GUIGAL.

The Condrieu appellation covers about 100 hectares. Overhanging the right bank of the Rhône, this vineyard is planted exclusively with Viognier, a varietal imported from Dalmatia at the beginning of our era. La Doriane is one of the jewels of the Condrieu appellation.

The GUIGAL estate also owns vineyards on illustrious plots with exceptional terroir in the appellations of Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

On the famous hill of Hermitage, the Ex-Voto reds and whites, produced only in the greatest vintages, come from plots with evocative names such as Bessards, Hermite, Greffieux, Murets... a hand picked selection of grapes from these precious terroirs are blended to produce, as if by magic, THE great wine of a chosen vintage.

In a mirror image, on the right bank of the Rhône, are the vineyards of the Saint-Joseph appellation the majority of which belonged previously to the Jean-Louis GRIPPAT estate.

The Lieu-Dit Saint-Joseph is planted mainly with old vines which produce classic red and white wines, true flagships of this up-and-coming appellation of the northern Côtes-du-Rhône.

Finally, the Saint-Joseph « Vignes de l’Hospice » is cultivated on this unique slope composed of granite where the vines are literally suspended on the breathtaking slopes which hang over the town of Tournon. This vineyard is a treasure producing precious and rare nectar.

In total, the vineyards of the GUIGAL estate cover over 45 hectares.    (hide)

penguinoid reviewed E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005:

November 2009

penguinoid

Red berries, earth, vanilla, pencil shavings, barnyard and tar on the nose. Palate is juicy, fresh and young with juicy red berries and pepper, full bodied and hearty, with firm, long lasting tannins. Great buy for the price.

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005

Starting at $12^.42 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

View penguinoid's favorite wines   |    View all penguinoid's wines and reviews

kcaylor reviewed E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005:

November 2009

kcaylor

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005

Starting at $12^.42 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

View kcaylor's favorite wines   |    View all kcaylor's wines and reviews

TL NJ wrote in the forum topic: Help - Advice for a Beginner

October 2009

TL NJ

Steph - My advice for you is similar to Greg T. I would advise that you start ... - try M. Chapoutier, or E. Guigal Australia - known for their Shiraz - but also make excellent Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet - try...

View TL NJ's favorite wines   |    View all TL NJ's wines and reviews

CarrieCrespo

October 2009

CarrieCrespo

Winter White Wonderland   The Cotes Du Rhone wine region is a place of mystery ... like that of Chapoutier or Guigal and Jaboulet, two other major producers in the region to note for becoming acquainted with the Rhone. ...

lauflo reviewed E Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape 2003:

September 2009

lauflo

good fruit and nice, medium body. great with pork and grilled meats

E Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape 2003

Starting at $18^.99 Snoothrank: 4/5

View lauflo's favorite wines   |    View all lauflo's wines and reviews

Gregory Dal Piaz wrote in the forum topic: Chateauneuf-du-pape recommendations

September 2009

Gregory Dal Piaz

Ok, so back to work eh? --Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois - not ... for the region. --Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape - ordinary, extremely so but it can be a decant value --Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape -...

View Gregory Dal Piaz's favorite wines   |    View all Gregory Dal Piaz's wines and reviews

funnylady reviewed E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005:

September 2009

funnylady

I love this wine. Great price range. I'm very particular in that I only drink reds, much prefer French to California (which in my humble opinion are typically much drier than I care for). It's full, hearty, fruity..jammy...

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2005

Starting at $12^.42 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

View funnylady's favorite wines   |    View all funnylady's wines and reviews

dmcker wrote in the forum topic: Chateauneuf-du-pape recommendations

September 2009

dmcker

Branching out a bit further, can I ask for some opinions, Greg, on more ... Chateauneuf du Pape --Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape --Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape --Georges Vernay Condrieu les Chaillees de l`Enfer --Pierre...

View dmcker's favorite wines   |    View all dmcker's wines and reviews

fredzimny reviewed E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2001:

September 2009

fredzimny

E. Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2001

Starting at $31^.19 Snoothrank: 4/5

View fredzimny's favorite wines   |    View all fredzimny's wines and reviews

penguinoid wrote in the forum topic: Reds, Whites.... how about good Rose wines?

August 2009

penguinoid

Getting back on topic, rosés are a wine that I haven't really tasted that many ... up here. At the moment, the Guigal Côtes du Rhone Rosé looks like it might be a good bet: some nice mineral and herbal notes,along...

View penguinoid's favorite wines   |    View all penguinoid's wines and reviews

ChipDWood commented on this page:

Jan 15

ChipDWood

We had the '06 Cotes du Rhone from Guigal at our wedding. It went really well with about 60% of the hors d'oeuvres and was enjoyed by folks who typically stick with the whites. Great backbone to it without being overly tanic.

View ChipDWood's favorite wines   |    View all ChipDWood's wines and reviews

Philip modified this page:

Jan 15

Philip

Philip added a photo for E. Guigal.

View Philip's favorite wines   |    View all Philip's wines and reviews

Philip modified this page:

Jan 15

Philip

Philip wrote a new description for E. Guigal.

View Philip's favorite wines   |    View all Philip's wines and reviews

Philip modified this page:

Jan 15

Philip

Philip edited the contact information for E. Guigal.

View Philip's favorite wines   |    View all Philip's wines and reviews

1 2 3 4 5  ...  21 next