E. Guigal's La-Las, Side by Side …
13 Côte-Rôties, 4 Courses, Five Perfect Scores
Three wines. Three hillsides. Forty years of argument about which one is greatest.
From the 2022 vintage, Guigal has made it four. La Reynarde comes off 1.5 hectares in the Fongeant lieu-dit, just above the Côte Brune, whole-bunch fermented with punch-downs alone and four years in new barrels. It is the first addition to the La-La family in forty years, and we are opening it against La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne from the same vintage.
Then we go backwards. 2021, the cool and classical year. 2020, where Jeb Dunnuck gave both La Mouline and La Landonne 100 points. And 2019, where he gave all three of them 100 points.
Thirteen Côte-Rôties across four courses, tasted the only way these wines truly reveal themselves: side by side, vintage against vintage, hill against hill.
Sunday, September 13th
Hosted by Brett Crittenden
Lunch: 12–3pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $995
One Family, Three Hillsides
Etienne Guigal arrived in Ampuis in 1923 and founded the house in 1946. His son Marcel took over in 1961 at the age of nineteen, after his father lost his sight, and spent the next sixty years turning a small negociant business into the reference point for the northern Rhône. La Mouline came first, in 1966, from the Côte Blonde. La Landonne followed in 1978, from the steeper, darker, iron-rich Côte Brune. La Turque arrived in 1985, from a parcel that had lain abandoned since the war until Guigal replanted it.
The method has barely changed since. Each wine comes from a single hillside, is aged for forty-two months in one hundred percent new French oak, and is bottled without fining or filtration. The three could not be more different from one another. La Mouline is the perfumed one, eleven percent Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah, all violets and silk. La Landonne is one hundred percent Syrah, black and structural and built for decades. La Turque sits between them, and in the right year it is the most complete of the three.
La Reynarde is the first new name in forty years. Whole bunches, punch-downs only, the same four years in new oak. Jeb Dunnuck called it "a brilliant, structured, age-worthy Côte Rôtie in the making" and said it clearly earns its place in the lineup. Nicolas Greinacher of Vinous simply noted that the family is now called "the La-La-La-La".
"Black fruits, smoke, graphite, crushed stone, and bloody nuances all emerge from the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, a magical, flawless Côte Rôtie that will need serious cellaring. Hide bottles for a decade, after which it will have 50 years of longevity."
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
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Clos Cachet is a boutique fine wine importer founded by Alex Rougeot of the famed Domaine Rougeot in Meursault. It specialises in the finest French wines with a particular affinity for Burgundy: Rougeot, Coche-Dury, Roulot, Henri Boillot, Pierre-Vincent Girardin, Hudelot-Noellat and many more. Alex presents these wines himself, a son of the region.
Domaine Rougeot sits in the historic village of Meursault in the Côte de Beaune, twelve hectares spread across Burgundy's best slopes. Marc Rougeot runs it with his son Pierre-Henri, making wine in Meursault, Monthélie, St Romain, Pommard and Volnay. This is the estate Alex grew up on, and where he still lends a hand in the decision making.
Seven estates make up the Burgundy half of the evening, and they are deliberately not the obvious ones.
Domaine de Cassiopée is the newest, founded in 2020 in the heart of Sampigny-lès-Maranges by Talloulah and Hugo Mathurin, who trained at JF Mugnier, Clos de Tart and JM Roulot. Pure, mineral-driven wines from humble vineyards with very old vines, and a range that drew worldwide attention from the first vintage.
Yvon Clerget is one of the oldest domaines in Volnay. Thibaud Clerget took over in 2015 and began the rebirth of six hectares sitting within the village's best climats.
Alain & Raphael Corcia took on the estate formerly known as Domaine de la Vieille Fontaine at the beginning of 2021. Alain has been a négociant in Savigny-lès-Beaune for over thirty-five years; Raphael, the youngest son, drove the takeover and now runs both vineyard and cellar, reimagining the cultivation of these vines through biodynamics.
Alain Hudelot-Noellat has been in the hands of Charles Van Canneyt for over a decade, working an enviable palette of appellations planted with notably old vines. Predominantly destemmed fruit, retained intact, fermented in cement for a classical two to three week maceration.
Marc Roy in Gevrey-Chambertin is Alexandrine Roy's domaine, known for wines that are classic yet forward, carrying the airy freshness of a relatively short élevage.
Edouard Confuron is the sixth generation of Confuron-Gindre, on Rue de La Tâche. Working alongside his father François, he has built a distinct style under his own négoce label, with the 2021 vintage the first formal outing for his personal range.
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DRW is David Ridge Wines. David Ridge is known as perhaps the pre-eminent authority on Piedmont in this country, and he is joined now by Marcell Kustos, an award-winning sommelier, wine producer at LVDO and a partner in DRW. Between them they present the Italian half of the evening.
Giovanni Sordo supplies five of the eight. Since the very early twentieth century, generations of the Sordo family have quietly collected parcels of the finest Nebbiolo-growing soil in the Langhe. They now hold plots in Roero, Barbaresco and particularly Barolo, where they own seventeen pieces of cru classified vineyard and release an unprecedented eight labelled cru wines from them. So far.
"What a lovely traditional producer Sordo is. These wines age gracefully for many years. They have purity, refinement & loud terroir expression." Chester Osborn, November 2018
Barale Fratelli have been at it for centuries. Among the first recorded producers of Barolo, from 1870, they appear in the village register of the early 1600s as owners of parts of some pretty familiar vineyard names: Coste di Rose, Cannubi, Castellero and Preda. Sergio Barale and his daughters Eleonora and Gloria are the current custodians, with holdings in Barolo commune, Monforte d'Alba and Barbaresco. The new releases, from 2022, are frankly jaw-dropping in their elegance and intensity.
Orlando Rocca is the name to watch. Orlando is the nephew of the late, great Domenico Clerico, the Monforte legend whose Barolos rewrote the script in this corner of the zone, and he makes his wines in Clerico's original cellar. His parcels sit where sand lies over blue marl, a subtle but important combination giving clarity, structure and that faintly dusty Bussia minerality. In late 2025 he was named Young Winemaker of the Year in the Italian guide I Migliori 100 Vini e Vignaioli d'Italia, official confirmation of what anyone who tasted the first releases already suspected. In a region haunted by giants and split between the ultra-traditional and the hyper-modern, Orlando is somehow both respectful and restless.
Marchesi di Gresy have been in Barbaresco for centuries, with the family's own vinification beginning in the 1970s. Nebbiolo is the main game, providing all the material for the Barbaresco bottlings. It is the two famous sub-plots at opposite ends of the Martinenga property, each adjoining one of the two acknowledged grands crus, that make this the heartland of Barbaresco.
"Martinenga is rated one step higher even than Rabaja and Asili, or the Santo Stefano of Albesani." Sheldon and Pauline Wasserman, Italy's Noble Red Wines
Meet your host… Brett Crittenden
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Introducing David Ridge to WA
David Ridge has four decades experience as a partner or principal in distribution. His companies, Classic Wine Merchants, David Ridge Wines and Distinguished Vineyards, have represented some of the great names of wine.
Having made his first trip to Piedmont in 1988, he has now made 43 trips of 1 to 2 weeks each into the area and with some 100+ containers imported, it is, as he describes, the only place outside of Adelaide where he would live.
David visits on average 15 to 17 producers each visit, and averages tasting over 300 wines per trip.
When looking at new producers he always requests to look at the lesser vintages so to be better able to properly evaluate the producer. -
Introducing Alex Rougeot to WA
Alex Rougeot is the founder of Clos Cachet, the boutique importer behind the Burgundy half of this evening, and a son of Meursault.
He grew up at Domaine Rougeot, the twelve-hectare family estate in the Côte de Beaune run by Marc Rougeot with his son Pierre-Henri, working vineyards in Meursault, Monthélie, St Romain, Pommard and Volnay. He still lends a hand in the decision making there.
Clos Cachet specialises in the finest French wines with a particular affinity for Burgundy, carrying names like Rougeot, Coche-Dury, Roulot, Henri Boillot, Pierre-Vincent Girardin and Hudelot-Noellat.
Alex presents these wines himself, which is rarer than it sounds. This is a grower's family talking about neighbours' vineyards he has known since childhood, rather than an agent reading a tech sheet.
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Introducing Marcell Kustos to WA
Marcell Kustos is an award-winning sommelier and a wine producer in his own right under the LVDO label. He is now a partner in DRW, and joins David Ridge in presenting the Piedmontese wines on the night.
Two palates on the same flight of Barolo is a rare thing at a dinner table, and it is a good part of why this format works: where they agree, you learn about the vintage, and where they disagree, you learn about the cru.
The Wine List
First Course: the 2022s, and the first La Reynarde ever poured
2022 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mouline’
97-100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Black raspberries, wildflowers, and bacon fat emerge from the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Mouline, which has an exotic yet dark, rich, and powerful profile. Based on 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier and aged 42 months in new oak, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, full-bodied richness, and ripe tannins, all while maintaining classic La Mouline character and sexiness.”
2022 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Turque’
96-98 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Darker and more inward, cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and liquid violets define the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Turque, and it picks up more gamey, smoky, black olive notes with air. Made from 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier and aged 42 months in new oak, it shows a more structured, focused profile than La Mouline, with full-bodied richness, impressive concentration, and a great finish.”
2022 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Landonne’
97-100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Another level of complexity emerges from the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, offering blackberries, currants, wood smoke, cured meats, and leather-like nuances. This powerful, concentrated, straight-up massive Côte Rôtie was aged 42 months in new oak and shows classic La Landonne character, with beautiful depth and richness, as well as building tannins.”
2022 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Reynarde’
96-98 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“The first vintage for this cuvée, the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Reynarde comes from the Fongeant lieu-dit, which sits just above the Côte Brune. It is not destemmed and was vinified using only punch downs, and sees the same 4 years in new barrels as the other single-vintage releases. Loads of blackberries, currants, smoked meats, crushed stone, and graphite characterize the aromatics, with black olive and iron notes emerging with air. It clearly earns its spot in the lineup and is a brilliant, structured, age-worthy Côte Rôtie in the making.”
Second Course: 2021, the year that rewarded restraint
2021 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mouline’
93-95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Blackberries, red and blue fruits, crushed flowers, and ground pepper all emerge from the La Mouline, which shows incredible elegance and purity, as well as depth. It delivers medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, silky texture, and beautiful balance. The tannins are polished, and it has a gorgeous finish.”
2021 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Turque’
94-96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“More concentrated and darker in style, the La Turque reveals blackberries, smoked meats, and graphite, with a meaty, almost La Landonne-like character. A blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier brought up in new French oak for 42 months, it is medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with terrific mid-palate depth and ripe tannins.”
2021 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Landonne’
95-97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“I suspect the wine of the vintage, the 2021 Côte Rôtie La Landonne delivers blackberries, smoked meats, and graphite in a medium to full-bodied, layered, and ultra-classic style. Made from 100% Syrah and aged 42 months in new French oak, it shows remarkable purity, polished tannins, and a brilliant, smoky character.”
Third Course: 2020, and two perfect scores
2020 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mouline’
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Spring flowers, roasted herbs, graphite, chocolate, and scorched earth intermixed with blackberries define the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline. It is full-bodied, rich, and textured, with violets and smoked meats emerging with time in the glass. This concentrated, pure, super-rich, and sexy wine has flawless overall balance, ultra-fine tannins, and sensational length.”
2020 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Turque’
99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Classic notes of graphite, spring flowers, blackberries, crushed stone, and smoky oak all emerge from the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Turque. It is round and full-bodied, with incredible depth, richness, and purity. With no hard edges and a concentrated, multidimensional mouthfeel, it strikes a good balance between the upfront, sexy showoff that is the La Mouline and the more reserved, structured La Landonne.”
2020 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Landonne’
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Black fruits, smoke, graphite, crushed stone, and bloody nuances all emerge from the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, a magical, flawless Côte Rôtie that will need serious cellaring. Made from 100% Syrah and aged 42 months in new French oak, it is full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with building tannins and incredible structure. Hide bottles for a decade, after which it will have 50 years of longevity.”
Fourth Course: 2019, and three more
2019 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Mouline’
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Leading off the three single parcel releases, the 2019 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is an absolute blockbuster of a wine that has incredible depth, richness, and concentration while holding onto a rare sense of elegance, balance, and seamlessness. Incredible floral and orange blossom notes give way to more smoked game, tapenade, sweet black raspberries, and subtle vanilla. This full-bodied, utterly heavenly Côte Rôtie is more reserved and straight compared to the 2018, but it nevertheless already offers a huge amount of pleasure.”
2019 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Turque’
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Turque reminds me slightly of the 2010, which at a recent tasting I thought was the greatest young wine I had ever tasted. The 2019 reveals a saturated purple hue as well as insane aromatics of bloody blue and red fruits, roasted meats, iron, ground pepper, and graphite, with perfectly integrated background oak. With full-bodied richness as well as a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, it has building tannins, flawless balance, and a finish that will not quit. This is an absolutely legendary Côte Rôtie in the making.”
2019 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie ‘La Landonne’
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
“Lastly, the 2019 Côte Rôtie La Landonne is an absolutely jaw-dropping wine, and it does not, and will not, get any better than this magical elixir. A massive bouquet of black fruits, bloody meats, ground pepper, scorched earth, iron, and truffle all emerge from this dense, powerful monster of a Côte Rôtie that is flawlessly balanced, has perfect tannins, and sensational levels of concentration and extract. It should hit prime time in around a decade and evolve for 40-50 years.”