Côte Rôtie La Turque, Etienne Guigal 2012

Similar to the La Mouline with its forward, incredibly sexy style, the 2012 Côte Rôtie La Turque (there’s 7% Viognier in the blend) offers a saturated purple color to go with meaty, smoky notes of cassis, cured meats, chocolate and roasted herbs. It’s a big mouthful of a wine, with full-bodied richness and a stacked mid-palate, but it has a seamless, weightless texture, perfectly ripe tannin and a blockbuster finish. I’d happily drink a glass today, but it should be at its finest from 2020-2046.

Peppery nose with great richness underneath. Angular and forceful. Like a train driving itself over the palate. Lots going on here! Punch and power. This sample stood up the best of the three.

Taking longer to develop in the glass than the exuberant and sexy la Mouline, the 2012 Cote Rotie la Turque (93% Syrah and 7% Viognier that will see four years in new oak) offers Bordeaux-like notes of lead pencil and graphite to go with olive, smoked herbs, pepper and ripe dark fruits. Possessing a touch less raw material than both the 2009 and 2010, it nevertheless has full-bodied richness, serious mid-palate depth, lots of sweet tannin and a fabulous finish. It will need 4-6 years of cellaring and drink well over the following two to three decades.