In a completely different style, the more blockbuster, masculine style 2017 Côte Rôtie La Landonne sports a dense purple hue as well as quintessential Landonne notes of smoked meats, black fruits, scorched earth, and chocolate. Pure, focused, and remarkably delineated on the nose, it’s full-bodied and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with building tannins, perfectly integrated oak, and a monster of a finish. It’s going to require at least a decade to be drinkable, but it’s one of those seemingly immortal Côte Rôties that will continue drinking brilliantly for longer than most of us will be around.

The 2017 Cote Rotie La Landonne is 100% whole cluster, yet the stemminess—at the moment—is represented on the nose as just the merest hint of fresh pea shoots. As always, La Landonne is a bastion of strength and power, with dark flavors that range from black cherries and plums to smoke, roasted meat and on into mocha and espresso. Full-bodied and densely concentrated, with a long, long finish, it's the most impressive of Guigal's single-vineyard Cote Roties this vintage.

This is a brick house, with ample reserves of dark currant and blackberry reduction flavors lined with a strong cast iron note, while dark tobacco, olive and smoldering alder accents fill in through the finish. Built for the long haul. Best from 2025 through 2040. 550 cases made, 60 cases imported.

From the northern part of lieu-dit La Landonne, the plot was planted in 1975 to commemorate Philippe Guigal's birth. Guigal uses a tank that pumps over automatically using CO2 generated from fermentation. It's a dark, brooding, impenetrable wine for now on the nose - just a hint of bitter chocolate and black cherry can be coaxed out. It's full-bodied but not massive, with incredible tannic heft and power and serious extraction, finishing with remarkable length. There's a tiny touch of dryness and subtle bitterness, but years of barrel ageing remain ahead of it to help iron these out. It displays the trademark austerity of La Landonne, and is the most powerful young Guigal Landonne I've ever tasted. It's likely to be a complex, savoury, tannic style when it finally comes round - just don't drink it young. (MW)

Deep-pitched black currant, blueberry, cherry, floral and licorice scents are complemented by suggestions of smoky bacon, olive and allspice. Broad and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining black/blue fruit, violet pastille, cola and exotic spice flavors that turn livelier as the wine slowly stretches out. Brawny yet energetic as well, showing superb definition and mineral thrust on a strikingly long, chewy finish that's given grip by solid but harmonious tannins.