2018 Guigal Lala’s - Built To Last

La Doriane, La Mouline, La Turque, La Landonne: benchmark Cote Rotie from the northern reaches of the Rhone Valley. It’s not everyday I get to look at the current release Lala’s. They’re premium, age-worthy wines that are typically cellared for decades, and over that time morph into powerful wines of place. This is how we ‘usually’ drink them. The impetus for this video was my curiosity to understand the nature of these wines as young wines, in the context of familiar territory for me: Australian Shiraz Viognier.
The resounding takeaway? Do NOT open your bottles. Not yet.

[@xbl1tz2clawx]

Great video!!!

[@stepheyles-rhonegirl8034]

Thanks for sharing your insights Erin. I've only been fortunate enough to taste 2 LaLa wines, one of them was a 2010 La Turque funnily Rick Kinzbrunner brought to a dinner party because I'd never tasted one. I had such high expectations for the wine, but we actually found it was showing pre-mature ageing, I seriously thought it was from the 90's - perhaps an isolated bottle though, which happens. I've found in the Northern Rhône some of the producers have come back to talking about drinking their Syrah younger, say from the 3-7 year drinking window, to continue to dance with the primary fruit on offer. Appreciated the descriptors on the iodine, meaty spectrum - it just makes sense and takes one straight to the region. The violets often discussed literally sprout in people's gardens in the local area for 2 weeks in Spring. What a privilege to taste these wines, if you haven't been, I hope you get to visit sometime, no doubt you will and you'll be very warmly welcomed.

[@erinlarkin]

And isn’t that generosity the greatest part of the wine industry… I’m sure it was just a bottle thing, the 2010 should still be very fresh, although they’ll never fully shake the oak shackles - it will always be a feature of the wine.
I look forward to visiting Rhone as a tourist and seeing the violets! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@toddbelanger1923]

As always yet another interesting informative video...I will be honest however and say this ..with respect of course ..Wow you are such a class act..I could listen to you talk about anything..lol..You are so good at what you do..amazing English...incredible

[@erinlarkin]

Thanks Todd! Glad you enjoyed the video 🙏

[@fencepost908]

Fantastic set of wines - keep up the content :)

[@erinlarkin]

Thanks Tom 🙏

[@benhall9321]

Very informative video as always Erin and great to see you discuss some old world wines for a change of pace.

[@erinlarkin]

Perhaps I should include them more often. I taste widely, regularly, but try to stay in the Aussie wine lane with this channel… feedback noted Ben - thanks very much for watching 🙏

[@steveilich2197]

Another great review Erin!! Thank you.
Every wine lover must try a La La at least once in their life.
Their Chat Ampuis a relative bargain in Cote Rotie, even world wine terms.
Keep it up, loving it.....

[@erinlarkin]

Agree wholeheartedly with this. The Chateau d’Ampuis is a very special wine and a bargain by comparison!

[@minka8047]

That's an epic tasting!

[@chrisdavies5515]

Another great video Erin, now I need ti see where I can get these!

[@erinlarkin]

Special wines Chris!

[@williamhuang2976]

I just purchased a bottle of 'la mouline 2014' last month, not opened it yet, so appreciate getting the knowledge & comparison of the lineup. As Shiraz is the iconic varietal of Australian red, it would be nice to compare these bottles from the best appellation in France for Syrah to some top quality Australian Shiraz.

[@erinlarkin]

Great idea. It’s on my list!

[@Nae395]

Imagine drinking these La La's, with Erin

[@davidwebster3325]

Thanks for the insight Erin. Never tried them but you’ve got me very interested now. Have you had them beside any Australian wines?

[@erinlarkin]

Hi David. I actually tasted them beside the Australian Shiraz V wines (which I posted a video on last week). The French wines have far more obvious oak and the texture is different. The fruit is powerful and driven and great, different in focus to the Australian wines which are detailed, fine and almost lacy (with the exception of the Standish Relic, which is a glorious combination of both). Hope that helps answer your question! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@user-ie5gl5he2k]

😊👍👍👍

[@stephenhutchinson5434]

It is interesting that La Doriane is a ripe/high alcohol wine. Australian viognier producers have been tending toward less ripeness in their styles. Yalumba in particular have gone from 14-14.5% to 13-13.5% alcohol in the Virgilius. Personally I like a ripe, full flavoured viognier (but it seems most don't like viognier at all)

[@erinlarkin]

Hi Stephen. Viognier is an interesting grape in that it has the potential to be big, billowing, blousy, fat, oily and viscose. If the picking is left too late it can gain alcohol and sugars very quickly and pick up a number of the aforementioned qualities. The decision to pick a little earlier (say eventual alcohol 13-13.5%) retains natural acidity and helps to keep the wine a little tighter. Having said that, there are wines that are higher in alcohol and bigger in style. I had one from the Pyrenees in VIC this week just gone - Peerick Two Nurses. If you like that fatter style you might like that wine.
The cool thing about the 14.5% La Doriane was that the alcohol hadn’t blown out the structure. It was still tight and mineral, making it a special wine. Thanks for the question!

[@colinpetersen1173]

@Erin not sure it's a fair question but how do you think wines like these compare to something like Standish Relic?

[@erinlarkin]

Great question. The Standish Relic looks pure, fruit driven and supple in comparison to the Rhone wines. I looked at them side by side just last week so I fresh on this. Still inky and very big, but so vibrant and great.

[@ptg01]

Indeed, drinking the La-La's less than 20 years old is just wrong ! :)

[@erinlarkin]

Well I sort of agree! Although I’d be inclined to be open to 10 years…

[@ptg01]

@@erinlarkin I hear you ! Last year, I had a 1994 La Turque that was just PERFECT !!! Certainly had a long life !

[@bigv7267]

Caution - la Doriane is different, don't age over 5-7 years, and it so peculiar it's best with food, not a wine to drink alone.. the rest of the la la las sure, age 20y if you want