E. Guigal

Établissements Guigal is a winery and négociant business situated in Ampuis in the northern Rhône, a small ancient village at the heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation where vines have been cultivated for over 2,400 years. Étienne Guigal arrived in Ampuis in 1924 at the age of 14, worked his way up to cellar master at Vidal-Fleury over 15 years, then founded E. Guigal in 1946 after the Second World War. In 1961, his son Marcel was forced to leave school and take over the business when Étienne was suddenly struck by total blindness. Marcel's wife Bernadette joined in 1973, and their son Philippe was born in 1975 and became the domain's oenologist in 1997, representing the third generation alongside his wife Eve.

• Founded 1946 by Étienne Guigal in Ampuis; Étienne had worked for Vidal-Fleury for 15 years prior to starting his own firm
• Marcel Guigal assumed control in 1961 at age 17 after his father was struck with sudden blindness; he has led the house ever since
• Philippe Guigal (born 1975) obtained his oenologist degree from the University of Burgundy and joined the family firm as winemaker in 1997
• Total vineyard holdings slightly over 45 hectares, with roughly half in Côte-Rôtie; estate wines are produced exclusively from Guigal-owned vines

Guigal came to international fame in the early to mid-1980s when Robert M. Parker Jr. heaped praise on the top Côte-Rôtie wines, in particular the three single-vineyard bottlings La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque. This critical attention contributed directly to the improved international standing of Rhône wines and elevated Côte-Rôtie to be seen more on par with Hermitage, with prices for the top wines eventually matching and sometimes surpassing those of the top Hermitage cuvées. In 2006, Marcel Guigal was awarded the Decanter Man of the Year for his contribution and dedication to the Rhône, and as of 2009 the three La La wines had accumulated 21 Robert Parker 100-point scores, more than any other single producer at that time.

• Credited with transforming the international reputation of Côte-Rôtie from a rustic regional wine to one of France's most coveted appellations
• 21 Robert Parker 100-point scores as of 2009: nine for La Mouline (1976 to 2005), seven for La Landonne (1985 to 2005), five for La Turque (1985 to 2005)
• Marcel Guigal awarded Decanter Man of the Year in 2006 for his contribution to the Rhône Valley
• In 2007, the 2003 vintage of the La La wines set a record for most expensive Rhône wine release, with bottles retailing for up to $800

Guigal's three iconic single-vineyard Côte-Rôties are the cornerstone of the estate's reputation. La Mouline, sourced from the Côte Blonde, was the first single-vineyard Côte-Rôtie Guigal produced, with its debut in 1966; it is typically 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier and is regarded as the most floral and accessible of the three. La Landonne, first produced in 1978 from the steep Côte Brune, is 100% Syrah and the most tannic and structured of the trio. La Turque, from a Côte Brune site replanted by Guigal in 1980 to 1981, debuted with the 1985 vintage and is typically 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier, stylistically intermediate between the other two. All three are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and aged for 42 months in 100% new French oak, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

• La Mouline (Côte Blonde): first vintage 1966; 89% Syrah, 11% Viognier; most floral and silky of the three; around 400 cases produced annually
• La Landonne (Côte Brune): first vintage 1978; 100% Syrah; most tannic and powerful; around 800 cases per year; vines planted in 1975
• La Turque (Côte Brune): vineyard acquired and replanted 1980 to 1981; first vintage 1985; 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier; stylistically between La Mouline and La Landonne; around 4,000 bottles per year
• All La La wines: 42 months in 100% new French oak, natural fermentation, no fining, no filtration; Château d'Ampuis cuvée (first vintage 1995) blends seven vineyard sites for a more approachable expression

Guigal has grown strategically over the decades through a series of landmark acquisitions while maintaining a négociant operation that spans the full length of the Rhône Valley. In 1984, Guigal purchased Vidal-Fleury, the house where Étienne Guigal had begun his career, while continuing to operate it as a separate and independent business. The historic Château d'Ampuis was acquired in 1995 and registered as a national historic monument; it now serves as the Guigal family headquarters and cooperage. In 2001, Guigal purchased Domaine Jean-Louis Grippat and Domaine de Vallouit, tripling its vineyard holdings at the time. Domaine de Bonserine was added in March 2006, and in July 2017 the family acquired Château de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, their first foothold in the southern Rhône.

• 1984: Vidal-Fleury acquired, retained as an independent operation with its own identity
• 1995: Château d'Ampuis acquired and restored; serves as family headquarters and site of the in-house cooperage (established 2003)
• 2001: Domaine Jean-Louis Grippat (Saint-Joseph) and Domaine de Vallouit (Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage) acquired, tripling estate holdings
• 2006 and 2017: Domaine de Bonserine (Côte-Rôtie) and Château de Nalys (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) further extended the Guigal portfolio north to south

Guigal's winemaking is defined by minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar, combined with an extraordinarily long élevage in new oak that is unique in the Rhône. Grapes are hand-harvested from steep terraced slopes, fermented with natural yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, and the top wines spend up to 42 months in 100% new French oak before bottling without fining or filtration. Since 2003, Guigal has operated its own cooperage at Château d'Ampuis, producing around 800 new barrels per year from finely grained wood sourced from the best French forests, making it one of the only estates in France to control barrel production entirely in-house. Older Côtes du Rhône parcels are also aged in large foudres for six months, atypical for that category and a mark of the house's commitment to quality at every level.

• La La wines and Château d'Ampuis: 42 months in 100% new French oak; natural yeast fermentation; bottled unfined and unfiltered
• In-house cooperage at Château d'Ampuis since 2003; around 800 new barrels produced annually; oak staves sourced from the best French forests
• Côtes du Rhône wines aged in foudres for six months, significantly exceeding typical regional practice
• Harmonious viticulture practices on steep terraced vineyards with slopes up to 45 to 70 degrees, all work done by hand

Ampuis sits at the heart of Côte-Rôtie on the western bank of the Rhône, roughly 30 kilometres south of Lyon. The appellation is divided into two principal slopes: the Côte Brune, with heavier soils rich in iron oxide and schist, producing more structured and powerful wines, and the Côte Blonde, with lighter, sandy-granite soils yielding more elegant and aromatic expressions. Guigal vinifies approximately 40% of all Côte-Rôtie produced in the appellation, a dominant market position that reflects both commercial scale and historical commitment to the region. Marcel Guigal was also instrumental in preserving the Condrieu appellation, where Guigal today accounts for around 45% of the roughly 25,000 cases produced each vintage from the Viognier grape.

• Côte Brune soils: iron oxide-rich clay and schist; produces powerful, structured wines; source of La Landonne and La Turque
• Côte Blonde soils: lighter granite and sandy soils; produces more floral, elegant wines; source of La Mouline
• Guigal vinifies approximately 40% of all Côte-Rôtie and around 45% of all Condrieu produced each vintage
• Château d'Ampuis, acquired in 1995, is a registered French national historic monument with origins dating to the 12th century, now the estate's headquarters on the banks of the Rhône