Marcel took over the reins of the estate in 1961 (at the age of 17) following his father's sudden loss of sight. In 1966, Marcel Guigal acquired the 'La Mouline' parcel in Côte-Rôtie and began exporting his wines to the United States. Philippe Guigal (Marcel's son) joined the estate permanently in 1997 after training as an oenologist. He is now in charge of the technical management of one of the Rhône's leading wine merchants.
For the red wines, the Guigal style consists mainly of a long ageing period of two years or more, in casks and tuns. This ageing gives the wines a patina and a velvety texture. However, in weaker vintages, the oak can dominate and leave a powerful mark on the wines, adding tannins that are difficult to blend. On great vintages, the imprint of such wood often marks the wines, making them recognisable by their style. International critics have played a big part in the success of such wines, but it seems that there is now a trend towards less ageing, in favour of the signature of the terroir. Be that as it may, in great vintages such as 1999, 2005, 2009 and 2010, the wine can withstand the ageing process, and such wines are still the benchmark for how well they hold up over time. Lovers of luxuriously oaky wines will probably be delighted.
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