Côte Rôtie La Turque 2012 75cl

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.<br/>As always, my visit with Marcel and Philippe Guigal is one of the highlights of my entire time spent working in the northern Rhône. As I think the list of wines demonstrate, this is a huge lineup, yet the theme across the entire range is incredible quality. Looking at the top Côte Rôties, the current releases in bottle are the 2012s and these are rich, supple, sexy, even flamboyant wines that will be relatively approachable in their youth, yet have broad drink windows. The 2013s are much more backward and restrained, and built for the long haul, but the long élevage favored at this estate is certainly helping to soften the tannin and give the wines a suppler texture. As to the 2014s, I was shocked at the depth and density this team was able to get in these wines, but this is another vintage that will be approachable in its youth. Lastly, and from vintage described by Marcel as the best of his lifetime (how’s that for perspective?), the 2015s are inky and primordial, with mind-boggling depth and density. These will be reviewed two to three more times before release, but start saving today! Lastly, it’s also worth pointing out that the estate has started utilizing a new cork technique that guarantees no TCA. This doesn’t come cheap and is close to two Euros per cork, but it’s just another example of the attention to detail and the level of effort that this estate puts forth to ensure the quality in the bottle. Hats off to them.

Features warm fig bread and ganache notes out front, followed by densely layered blackberry, plum and black currant reduction flavors. Ganache details echo through the finish, along with Turkish coffee and smoldering alder hints. A large-scale wine that should cruise in the cellar. Best from 2020 through 2040. From France.—J.M.