The Guigal Estate was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in Ampuis, a small ancient village and cradle of the Cote-Rotie appellation. It shelters a unique vineyard where the vines and the wines have been famous for 2,400 years. Arriving in the region in 1924 at the age of 14, Etienne began his career at Vidal-Fleury, participating in its development and working his way up to the position of cellar-master before leaving to establish his own company. He has vinified 67 harvests in Cote-Rotie.

In 1961, although still very young, Marcel Guigal took over management of the establishment from his father who was stricken suddenly with total blindness. In 1973, his wife Bernadette joined him and they worked together to develop the family business. In 1975, their son Philippe was born and is today the estate’s winemaker. With his wife Eve, he represents the third generation to continue the family business, in the service of the great wines of the Rhone Valley.

Their hard work and perseverance enabled them to purchase the Vidal-Fleury Establishment in the mid ‘80s and in 1995, they acquired the famous Chateau d’Ampuis, an ancient fort built in the 12th century, later repurposed into a Renaissance chateau during the 16th century. In a state of neglect and terrible disrepair, Guigal has taken on a colossal renovation, spanning nearly 11 years with over 100 people working on the project.

The Chateau d’Ampuis has become the headquarters of the Guigal Estate while the offices and the cellars remain in the ancient small village of Ampuis. While their vineyards span the length and breadth of what the Rhone Valley offers, the heart of the winery’s production is still Cote-Rotie, whose ultimate expression can be found in Guigal’s most famous releases: La Landonne, La Turque, and La Mouline.


The 2016 Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque is a Syrah from the Northern Rhone region of France, specifically the Cote Rotie appellation. This red wine, produced by Guigal, presents a concentrated and elegant profile with an alcohol content of 13.5%. Renowned for its meticulous production, it spends four years in new French oak barrels and is bottled without fining or filtration.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate awarded it a high score of 98, praising its "exotic perfumes of spring flowers and ripe berries," and noted its "exquisitely silky and elegant" texture. Joe Czerwinski highlighted the wine’s "lingering notes of salted licorice and mocha" and mentioned its potential to drink well for at least two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck also rated it highly at 96 points. He described it as "medium to full-bodied" with "complex notes of black raspberry, cassis, roast coffee, camphor, and flowers." Dunnuck emphasized the wine’s "silky tannins" and "great finish," calling it a "beautiful, classic example of this cuvée" that should be enjoyed over the next 20-25 years.

Decanter matched Parker’s score with another 98, noting the wine’s "smoothness of the tannins" and "silkiness on the palate." The review highlighted its "extremely elegant expression of Côte-Rôtie" with a "harmonious, shapely, tapered finish."

Vinous offered a 97-point review, describing the wine as "inky magenta" with a "powerfully scented nose" of "candied cherry, blackcurrant, exotic spices, violet oil, and a hint of olive." Josh Raynolds praised its "velvety, seamless and alluringly sweet" profile with "sharp delineation" and an "exceedingly long finish."

Wine Spectator provided a score of 96, characterizing the wine as "dark and winey" with "waves of cassis, steeped plum, and warmed cherry preserves." The review noted its "long finish" with a "savory edge and a well-buried iron note," recommending it for cellaring until 2040.

Lastly, Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also rated it 98, remarking on its "fabulous depth of flavor" and "seamless layers of black and red fruits, smoke, licorice, olives, and spice." Leve predicted its peak potential between 2025-2055.

Overall, the 2016 Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque is highly praised for its balanced elegance, complex flavors, and long aging potential, making it a standout Syrah in the Cote Rotie region.