Also Recommended
Picture
Product Name
Vintage
Price
Varietal
Country
Region
Appellation
Size
Additional Discount
Original Item
2012
$217.50
White Rhone Blend
France
Rhone Valley
Hermitage
750ml
N/A
Better Price, Same Score
2016
$182.01
White Rhone Blend
France
Rhone Valley
Hermitage
750ml
Closest Match
2020
$223.54
White Rhone Blend
France
Rhone Valley
Hermitage
750ml
Best QPR in Price range
2015
$210.56
White Rhone Blend
France
Rhone Valley
Hermitage
750ml
More wines available from E. Guigal
750ml
Bottle:
$45.83
$48.00
Excellent harmony of full body, moderately dry tannins and richness. The red fruits are now beautifully developed and...
Pre-Arrival
E. Guigal Condrieu 2016
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$91.95
Ripe and lush, offering peach, mango, papaya and nectarine flavors, this nonetheless keeps a sense of purity, with...
375ml
Bottle:
$35.94
An exuberance of perfectly ripe yellow and white peaches, apricots, melon, pineapple and delicate white floral aromas...
750ml
Bottle:
$63.94
Reveals ripe kumquat, green plum and pear puree notes that have a glycerol texture on a finely tuned palate, with...
More Details
Winery
E. Guigal
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: White Rhone Blend
The careful blending of Viognier, Rousanne, Marsanne or Grenache Blanc grape varietals has typified the wine making practices of France's Rhone region for centuries, and has secured their reputation as one of the finest regions in the world for excellent blended white wines. Most commonly, the blended wines of this region hold delicate and aromatic flavors, reminiscent of honeysuckle, peach, pear and green apple, and are adored by winemakers and drinkers alike. Whilst Viognier, Rousanne and Marsanne varietal grapes are all renowned for their fruity characteristics and floral aroma, it is the transparent and acidic Grenache Blanc which lends the wines their backbone and helps build up the structure of the blended wines. Such expertise and knowledge of how these grapes can compliment each other is the secret to the Rhone's success, and has been emulated and imitated in several countries around the world.
Region: Rhone Valley
There are few wine regions in the world with a history as long and illustrious as that of the Rhone Valley in France. For over two thousand years, wines have been produced in this region, benefited by the excellent, mineral-rich soils of the region, and the varied climate which allows a wide range of grape varietals to grow. The Rhone Valley is now split into two quite separate regions, with the north part being characterized by its cooler, continental climate and the limited number of grape varietals grown, and the southern sub-region being perfect for growing a wide range of grapes, and producing an exciting number of different wine styles. The Rhone Valley is associated with elegant, flavorful wines, and certain grape varietals such as Viognier and Syrah, which are adept at expressing the finer features of their terroir.
Country: France
It is widely understood and accepted that the finest wines in the world come out of France. Whether you are drinking a vintage bottle from one of the famed Grand Cru wineries of Bordeaux - such as Chateau Margaux or Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - or a more simple and affordable bottle from one of the lesser known appellations in Burgundy, the likelihood is that the wine is packed full of intense and interesting flavors, and has a fine, balanced structure typical of almost all French produce. This reputation for excellence is taken extremely serious by the French, with dozens of regularly updated laws and regulations ensuring the quality and accurate labeling of wines. Such dedication and passion for fine wine, representative of the region in which it is produced, means customers can be assured that when they buy a bottle from France, they are buying something almost certain to please and delight.