2018 e. guigal, condrieu, la doriane

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Bottle size (ML)

Why We're Buying

Guigal Condrieu La Doriane is a modern blockbuster. It comes from one of the top five vineyards in the appellation and one of the world's greatest winemakers. No estate has earned more 100-point ratings from wine critic Robert Parker than Guigal, with La Doriane earning the honor in 2010.

Critics Scores

Jeb Dunnuck

Bottled at the same time, the 2018 Condrieu La Doriane is a bigger, more luxurious version of the appellation release. Beautiful quince, acacia flowers, apricot, and spice notes emerge from the glass and it builds beautifully on the palate, with medium to full body, integrated acidity, and flawless overall balance. It shows the soft, sexy side to the vintage and is best enjoyed over the coming 4-6 years.

Vinous

Light, green-tinged yellow. A hugely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe orchard and pit fruit liqueur, honey, vanilla, exotic flowers and smoky minerals, along with emerging spiciness. Broad and fleshy but shockingly lively as well, offering palate-coating orchard and pit fruit flavors that take on energizing spiciness through the mid-palate. The honey and mineral note reverberate on an extremely long, smooth finish that leaves a refreshingly bitter orange zest note behind.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Condrieu la Doriane was barrel fermented in 100 new oak. Yes, it's toasty as a result, but it's loaded with grilled stone fruit and doesn't seem overdone, just rich, plush, full-bodied and long on the powerful finish. It's another top-notch effort from the appellation's leading (volume) producer.

Decanter

This is very rounded and broad with real depth of fruit and genuine Condrieu intensity. The acidity is balanced and it’s very oaky, but it works; it's not overly thick in texture but it has good freshness. First vintage was 1994, and since then this cuvée has expanded to take in more lieux-dits, now covering 5 plots, all vinified separately. Guigal now owns an impressive 19ha now, including some of the best lieux-dits. La Doriane is considerably richer and more oaky than the classic cuvée, vinified in 100 new oak barriques, the wine staying in barrel for 9 months in total.