2018 Côte-Rôtie, La Mouline, E. Guigal, Rhône

Just about pure perfection as well as a desert Island wine, the 2018 Côte Rôtie La Mouline comes from a tiny parcel in the Côte Blonde lieu-dit and spent four years in new barrels. Incredible notes of black raspberries, spring flowers, bacon fat, smoked game, violets, and pepper all emerge on the nose. These carry to a full-bodied, round, supple, sexy Côte Rôtie offering ultra-fine tannins, an insane level of purity, no hard edges, and a monster of a finish. As with the other 2018s here, it leads with its fruit and has a supple, ethereal style on the palate. It doesn't have the sheer wealth of material or density of the 2010, 2015, or 2019, but it’s possibly a slightly richer, sexier version of the 2016. Hide bottles for just 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or so.
99/100, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com (December 2022)