More closed than when I tasted it earlier this year, the 2010 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is an incredible effort that’s made from 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier. Coming from the estate’s top sites and aged 38 months in new oak, it has no problem standing beside the top three single-vineyard releases. Crème de cassis, vanilla bean, smoked meats and licorice all flow to a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, structured Cote Rotie that needs another 5-6 years of bottle age, but will keep for 2-3 decades. Drink 2019-2035.
99 points – Jeb Dunnuck (eRobertParker.com, Dec 2014)

The Chateau d'Ampuis is a blend of the seven different lieux-dits comprising this cuvée and is co-fermented with roughly 10% Viognier and raised four years in new barrels. It's made exactly like the famous Lalas here, and while it might have the same singular character of the three (now four) single vineyards, it's clearly in the same qualitative ballpark, and blind tasting after blind tasting has confirmed this for me. Looking at the 2010, it has shed most of its baby fat and is now showing a classic, elegant, yet still concentrated style and, as all of the top cuvées from Guigal tend to do, has absorbed every bit of its oak upbringing. Gorgeous red and black fruits, smoked meats, minty herbs, graphite, and spring flower notes all shine in the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, silky tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This complex, nuanced, incredibly seductive Côte Rôtie can be drunk any time over the coming 15-20 years. This is one of the all-time greats of this cuvée, and I wish I'd have bought more on release.

Just scored 99 from Robert Parker, we are told. Blend of seven vineyards – close to the La Las. Aged 36 months in 100% new oak. Co-fermented with 7% Viognier. Rich, modern sleek nose with equal parts black fruit and oak. Lovely Syrah pepperiness on the palate. Dry, almost austere savouriness on the palate. Really fine, floury tannin. Delicious, though perhaps just a bit light on the finish. (RH)