While this bottle may not look like much from the outside, the contents were simply stunning! This 1987 Guigal La Mouline Cote Rotie was a highlight from a recent in-person tasting (that complied with all legal requirements). . Based in the Northern Rhone, E. Guigal makes some of my favorite wines. The so-called La La trilogy (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque) is the crown jewel of the Guigal lineup. La Mouline always contains the highest percentage of Viognier (typically around 11%). The La Mouline fruit comes from a steep, heavily-terraced portion of the Cote Blonde vineyard with rocky soils and which is typically the warmest of the three sources. (See the very first post in my profile for vineyard pics!). La Mouline is produced using the more gentle pumping over technique as opposed to punching down. As a result of these differences, La Mouline tends to be the most elegant of the three and the one that can be enjoyed the earliest. . Of course, La Mouline still ages phenomenally well! La Mouline is also one of those rare wines that transcend vintage and points and is inevitably one of the most memberable bottles on the table every time it is opened. And so it was with this 1987! Despite being from a supposedly off vintage, this La Mouline outclassed many more highly regarded (and more costly) wines from the very first nose! An intriguing array of dark cherry, black pepper, smoked meat, olive, iron, rosemary, thye, and sage perfectly balanced the abundant acidity. The mouthfeel was ethereal and the finish long, lingering and complex! La Mouline has a soulful character that reminds you with every sip that you are experiencing something truly special! After every sip, I sat in silence soaking it all in much like I do when appreciating an artistic masterpiece at a museum. It was such a blessing to be able to experience this memorable wine in-person with good friends I had not seen since January. . . . . #guigal #eguigal #domaineguigal #coterotie #côterôtie #northernrhone #syrah #syrahwine #viognier #lamouline #vineyard #tastingnotes #wineporn #wineevents #rhonevalley #rhone ##wineeducation #vin #instawine #winelover #winenot #topwine (at Roots and Water Wine Room) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLoQ0nJBO-/?igshid=1hzfoswnh4z4t