2013 Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis Guigal

Dark purple. More savour and leather than the Brune et Blonde bottling. Very dry (not sweet) finish and with lots of 'masculine' elements still to knit together. Drink 2020-2030.

Flinty and smoky elements, with coal smoke, praline and boot polish, as well as red and dark plums. Impressively complex and detailed. The palate has assertive, deeply ripe and fluid tannins that drive long and carry dark plum fruits. Warming mocha to close. Drink now and beyond.

The 2013 Côte Rôtie Chateau D'Ampuis showed consistent with last year, offering classic, masculine notes of smoked black fruits, crushed flowers, and lots of minerality. It's not a blockbuster but has good concentration, bright acidity, and building tannin, all suggesting 3-4 years of bottle age will be your friend.

Tasted as a final blend and scheduled to be bottled just after my visit, the 2013 Côte Rôtie Chateau d'Ampuis is a smokin' good wine in the vintage. Deep, concentrated and structured, with classic and masculine notes of graphite, smoked black fruits and crushed rocks, this full-bodied beauty has bright acidity, ripe tannin and beautiful length. It needs 7-8 years of cellaring to hit maturity and will have two to three decades of overall longevity.

Opaque ruby. Powerful smoke- and spice-accented aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, olive and violet are sharpened by a smoky mineral overtone. Deeply concentrated yet lively as well, showing impressive focus and lift to the black currant, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors, which show a smooth, velvety texture. Deftly marries power and finesse and finishes impressively long and sweet, displaying repeating dark berry character and dusty tannins that sneak in late.

Solidly built, with a compact core of steeped currant and plum fruit flavors liberally laced with singed alder, leather and tar notes. Keeps a taut edge through the finish, as this is youthfully tight, with good, buried guts. Should unwind beautifully in the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2035. From France.- J.M.