Christie Kiley on November 24, 2014 0 Comments The holidays are here, a time when we want to enjoy ourselves and life a bit more. It is time to make up for lost time throughout the year to spend with dear friends and loved ones and even share in the good things in life. Wine might be one of these good things and this particular wine falls in that category. Forget the old standby wines to go with your traditional or even non-traditional dinners during this season. Try something new. From the Rhone Valley in France, this red from Guigal stands above the rest of the reds as something racy and unique and is a great treat for this holiday season when you are looking to treat yourself and others. The Guigal Estate The vineyards of this property are cultivated in lands that have existed for at least three generations of land over twenty-four centuries old! The estates were founded in 1946 from an ancient village in the nook of the Cote-Rotie appellation. This is the hottest wine-growing region of France and ‘Cote-Rotie’ is translated as ‘roasted slope’. The vines of this property have been famous for over two-thousand years and were established by Etienne Guigal in 1924 at the very young age of 14. The estate was carried on by the second generation with Marcel when his father went blind in 1961 and the business grew alongside his wife, Bernadette. Today, their son, Philipe is the winemaker and the third generation to carry on the legacy of the great Rhone wines. The Rhone Wine Region The vineyards estate consist of many older properties which started with Etienne and other newer vineyards that were bought up over the years, including Chateau d’Ampuis, where the main winery’s headquarters are located today, along with Jean-Louis GRIPPAT Estate, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph, which were all purchased in 2001. These properties extend from the northern part of the Rhone Valley from Condrieu to Hermitage slightly further south. The family has always believed in respecting Mother Nature utilizing natural controls and prevention for pests and vine illnesses. The vines of each property sit alongside the great Rhone River and its tributaries creating a balanced environment in what can be a challenging area for hot-weather vines in some of the steepest vineyards in the world. Their vineyard practices and unique growing techniques that adapt to each terrain and crop yield control are what make their wines so special and balanced with the utmost importance of showcasing their terroir and soils of Schist and iron oxide, limestone and granite, among many other soil types of this ancient area. The Cotes du Rhone Wine This wine hails from fruits of vines that are over thirty-five years of age, grown in soils consisting of granite and limestone with a topsoil of alluvial sands and pebbles. It is a blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (35%) and Mourvedre (5%). The making of this wine is temperature controlled with extended maceration to add a depth of color to this wine. More complexity and character is added with one and a half years of oak aging. The resulting wine we bring to you today is beautiful and intriguing from its color of dark ruby red and bright reflections that shine in your glass. The nose is wonderfully inviting with full red berries; spiced cranberry, juicy and mature black berry, some blue fruit and dark cherries. The flavor is intense and even gamey with full fruit and berry notes similar to those on the nose with smooth and balanced tannins from the first impact on your palate to its lingering finish. Aromatics of espresso and a touch of smoke linger on the finish as do the supple tannins and rich fruits. Pair this wine with any of your favorite holiday dishes, your Thanksgiving turkey and even venison or red meats. It will go well with any sides of roasted vegetable dishes as well, even the classic buttery mashed potatoes with gravy will be delicious with this wine.