2003 Guigal Côtes du Rhône (red)

The best basic Côtes du Rhône from Guigal that I've had in a number of years. Deep ruby purple color. Nose tight and earthy at first, but after time in a large volume decanter, beautiful scents of stewed plums, blackberries, crushed stones and foresty scents emerge. Soft deep fruit in the mouth, with nice balance and some soft well-integrated tannin in the finish. Will last and improve for a couple of years. 89. Widely available. I think I got this at Cost Plus World Marketplace on Richmond for about $11.