“I have never seen a producer so fanatical about quality as Marcel Guigal.” – Robert Parker

“One of the world’s greatest wine estates for over seven decades.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Gweeeegallll! Fun to say. More fun to drink. Even more fun to break out during the holidays to FLOOR your wine-loving friends. Because while everyone knows the name, very few know of THIS release. Yet. But they will…

96 points from Enthusiast. 95 from Advocate. 94 from Vinous.

And here’s the best part… This flagship wine retails for $105. Our price?

Just about HALF that.

You probably know E. Guigal is a FORCE in the Rhône. This prolific producer was established in 1946 by Etienne Guigal who worked for Vidal Fleury for 15 years. They make a lot of wine. A lot of really GOOD wine. From Côtes du Rhône to Côte-Rôtie they established themselves as a tried-and-true stalwart of the region. Their “La-Las” - La Landonne, La Mouline, and La Turque, for example, have earned coveted spots among collectors and sit atop a throne of the best there is in the world.

But this? It’s actually one of their newest efforts. They purchased the Nalys estate, adding 60 hectares of prime Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir to their holdings. This exact wine was started by the Nalys team and the blending and aging (30% barrel, 70% concrete) were finished by the Guigal crew.

Vinous elaborates: “Since the 1964 vintage, the Guigal family, of northern Rhône fame, has made a high-quality, négociant Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The family has long had their eye on actually owning a Domaine in the appellation. When the opportunity presented itself, they pounced and bought the estate formerly known as Domaine de Nalys, which dates to the 17th century, and its 60 contiguous hectares property, château and functioning winery. Twenty of those hectares are in the famed La Crau vineyard, and according to Philippe Guigal, ‘those vines are the base for the Domaine’s great potential.’ The 2016s were not made from fruit grown or harvested by the Guigals, but the family made the final blending decisions. The result is the best set of wines that I have ever had from this estate.”

The blend comes from 3 exceptional vineyards - with 50% from the legendary La Crau. Mostly old vine Grenache, with Syrah and a few of the other 13 varieties. Fleshy, dense, seamlessly unwinding a cascade of deep red fruit. It walks a superb balance between the old-school style CdP and modern cult examples. With plenty of ripe concentration, it’s still very fresh and sappy without being thick or cloying. Dark red cherry, red licorice whips, wind-swept wild Provençal herbs, and exotic incense share the stage.

This is your chance to score the inaugural vintage of what is surely another notch in the belt of Guigal’s longstanding success.

At the lowest price on earth? No. Brainer.

96 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“2016 marks the first bottling of de Nalys under the Guigal umbrella and this intensely ripe but pristine wine makes a promising debut. It’s luscious but elegant, loaded with rich black-plum and cassis flavors firmed by piquant hints of licorice and pepper. Silky tannins make it approachable already but the wine should improve through 2036 and hold further still.”

95 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Destined to become Nalys’ new flagship, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grand Vin is a blend of 59% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 3% Counoise and 1% Vaccarèse. It’s full-bodied and velvety, offering hints of vanilla and sandalwood, but there also are layers of dark cherry fruit. Subtle notes of cinnamon, clove and allspice add interest to the long, silky finish. It’s an auspicious debut for the Guigal team. Drink 2018-2030.”

94 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Deep glistening violet. A highly complex bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, exotic spices, incense and garrigue, and a smoky mineral topnote lends urgency. Stains the palate with sweet raspberry, boysenberry, fruitcake and succulent herb flavors that are sharpened by a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Shows outstanding clarity and dried-fruit-dominated persistence on the finish, which features sneaky tannins and resonating floral character. 70% concrete and 30% oak barrels of varying size. Drink now-2036+.”