The 1989 La Turque's smoky, licorice, and black-raspberry aromas, as well as its phenomenal richness make for an extraordinary tasting experience. There is almost the essence of black-cherries in the 1989, which is already gorgeous to drink. It should be drunk over the next 12-15 years. The wine spends 42 months in new small oak casks and is bottled without fining or filtration. The 1989 single vineyard Cote Roties are magnificent. Now that they are three months away from bottling, their taste is reminiscent of Guigal's 1985s and 1982s. All of them possess fabulous concentration, sweet, expansive personalities. They offer extraordinary flavor intensity, impeccable purity, and awesome length and complexity. The yields from the three vineyards - La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque - rarely exceed two tons per acre. Moreover, no one harvests any later. That the wines spend nearly three and one-half years in 100% new oak tells you something about the level of extraction Guigal is able to achieve. While the oak is noticeable for 1-2 years after bottling, anyone who has tasted the 1985s, 1983s, 1982s, 1980s, or 1978s would be hard-pressed to find evidence of new oak. The level of fruit extraction in these wines literally soaks up the oak, making them all the more structured and complex. While all three wines share phenomenal concentration and marvelous perfumes, they could not be more different. Importer: Classic Wines, Boston, MA.

A bit out of character for La Turque, with meaty and tobacco notes, but it is still rich and spicy. The earliest-drinking of the crus in this big vintage; try in 1996.--Guigal Cote-Rotie vertical. 700 cases made. -TM