375 bottle with perfect storage. First bottle I have been exposed to with mold under the capsule.

Med color with no signs of age.

The nose was earth leather smoked pork and dark fruits.

This wine is med bodied with a pleasent mouth feel. The fruit fights through but you really get the peppered bacon and earth right up front and the fruit, leather are secondary.

I doubt this is a real age worthy wine and may be at its peak due to the almost fully integrated tannins. (Was a nice change from all the big burgandies and Cal Cabs i Have been drinking lately). Short finish for a cote rotie.
The first glass had a disinct herbacousness that was unpleasent but went away quickly.
This wine would really go well with many different dishes.
Probably give this a 87-88.

no honey i am not going to drink the whole bottle tonight

Mhilger,

Mold under the capsule is not unusual. I just opened a 2001 German Riesling which had been in bottle for less than a year and it had mold on the exterior of the cork.

I take it your wine was the Brune et Blonde? I had the the 1995 back in May 2002 with Blue Oval. My notes indicate it was a dark ruby color. Full bodied with good fruit but not as concentrated and focused as I would like. It had meaty plum notes. I gave it 90 points though. I too did not think it was a wine meant for aging but was corrected by JonesWine who indicated that Guigal have a track record of aging well. Since you only registered in January you probably did not have the honor of knowing Jones.

VM

Thank you Vino Me for the input. I think this is a delicous wine I just thought it was a little thin for my taste as a sipping wine. It was exotic and I could really see it going well with alot of food. Definitely a good wine to own. I saw the mold under the capsule as a good indication of its proper storage. The store I purchased it from is in an old warehouse and keeps the temp at a constant 55 degrees. You have to dress with layers just to go shopping .

no honey i am not going to drink the whole bottle tonight