France · Rhone · Northern Rhone · Hermitage White · Still · wine-wine · 1113244
Lowest offer: 102.9333333333333333333333333 GBP (Buy)
Offers: 26 · Bids: 0
| Price / case | Vintage | Packing | Qty | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8464.50 HKD | 2006 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | hk / Hong Kong |
| 854.81 GBP | 2007 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1489.13 GBP | 2009 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 3553.00 GBP | 2010 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 3448.50 GBP | 2010 | 12 x 75cl | 3 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 862.13 GBP | 2010 | 3 x 75cl | 8 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1734.70 GBP | 2010 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1724.25 GBP | 2010 | 6 x 75cl | 11 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 679.25 GBP | 2015 | 6 x 75cl | 3 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1507.94 GBP | 2016 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 617.60 GBP | 2016 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 863.17 GBP | 2016 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1428.53 GBP | 2017 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 1460.91 GBP | 2017 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 705.38 GBP | 2017 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 7586.70 HKD | 2017 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | hk / Hong Kong |
| 721.05 GBP | 2017 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 841.23 GBP | 2017 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 2042.98 GBP | 2018 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 9749.85 HKD | 2019 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | hk / Hong Kong |
| 910.20 GBP | 2019 | 6 x 75cl | 3 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 780.95 GBP | 2019 | 6 x 75cl | 3 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 689.40 GBP | 2020 | 6 x 75cl | 10 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 807.79 GBP | 2020 | 6 x 75cl | 10 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 689.40 GBP | 2022 | 6 x 75cl | 10 | uk / United Kingdom |
| 772.26 GBP | 2022 | 6 x 75cl | 10 | uk / United Kingdom |
No active bids.
| Vintage | Packing | Offers | Bids | Market price | WA rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2005 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2006 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 93 | |
| 2007 | 1 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 96 | |
| 2007 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 22514.76 | 96 |
| 2007 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 11257.38 | 96 |
| 2009 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 19908.00 | 100 |
| 2009 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 100 | |
| 2010 | 1 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 2990.77 | 100 |
| 2010 | 12 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 35889.24 | 100 |
| 2010 | 3 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 100 | |
| 2010 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 17944.62 | 100 |
| 2012 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 18224.76 | 96 |
| 2012 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 4556.19 | 96 |
| 2012 | 6 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 9112.38 | 96 |
| 2013 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 14982.48 | 97 |
| 2013 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 3745.62 | 97 |
| 2013 | 6 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 7491.24 | 97 |
| 2015 | 12 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 19419.72 | 95 |
| 2015 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 4854.93 | 95 |
| 2015 | 6 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 9709.86 | 95 |
| 2016 | 1 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2016 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 16458.12 | 95 |
| 2016 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 4114.53 | 95 |
| 2016 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 8229.06 | 95 |
| 2016 | 9 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2017 | 1 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2017 | 12 x 1.5L | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2017 | 12 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 15348.24 | 95 |
| 2017 | 4 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2017 | 6 x 75cl | 4 | 0 | 7674.12 | 95 |
| 2017 | 8 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 95 | |
| 2018 | 12 x 75cl | 1 | 0 | 93 | |
| 2018 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 93 | |
| 2018 | 6 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 93 | |
| 2019 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 96 | |
| 2020 | 3 x 75cl | 0 | 0 | 96 | |
| 2020 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | 0 | 96 | |
| 2022 | 6 x 75cl | 2 | 0 |
Rating: 95 –95
(made from 95% marsanne and 5% roussanne): Pale gold. A powerfully scented bouquet evokes fresh tropical and citrus fruits, white flowers and minerals, with notes of honey and nougat adding depth. Juicy, focused and pure, offering vibrant pineapple and orange flavors that gain weight with air. Closes with strong mineral cut and superb persistence, leaving floral and mineral notes behind.
Rating: 93 –93
Bright gold. Displays deep, pungent pit fruit and poached pear on the nose, along with suggestions of nutmeg, sweet butter, iodine and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with intense peach and bitter pear skin flavors and a zesty mineral jolt on the back end. Strikingly intense and focused, with excellent finishing clarity and stony persistence. If you have to open this youthful wine any time soon, by all means decant it for an hour or so.
Rating: 95 –95
(aged for 30 months in 100% new oak barrels) Limpid yellow-gold. Smoke- and mineral-tinged orchard and pit fruit and honey aromas show outstanding clarity, and a sexy floral element emerges slowly. Intense, palate-staining pear, peach nectar and tangerine flavors show superb energy and complicating notes of anise, iodine and nougat. Fleshes out and becomes spicier on the mineral-driven finish, which hangs on with outstanding tenacity and a lingering floral quality.
Rating: 93 –96
Another strong performance for this wine, the 2020 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc features scents of toasted grain, grilled pineapple and ripe pear. It's medium to full-bodied, nicely generous and expansive in the mouth, with an extraordinarily long and textured finish.
Rating: 94 –96
Mainly from Les Murets, but with a shot of L'Hermite, Guigal's 2019 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc looks pretty compelling from barrel. While the nose features notes of toasted grain, grilled pear and ripe melon, the real show is on the full-bodied palate. Rich, broad and fleshy, it's expansive and mouth filling without ever seeming blowsy or overdone, finishing long and impeccably balanced.
Rating: 92 –95
I was presented a prospective sample of the 2018 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc but was cautioned that there's been no decision regarding whether it will be bottled as such or blended into the 2018 Hermitage Blanc. It's rich, round and open, maybe a bit too easy-drinking and fruit-forward at this point, emphasizing ripe peaches and cream.
Rating: 93 –93
The last time I saw the 2018 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc, it came across as opulent and fruit-forward. Now that it's in bottle (and scheduled to be released in February 2022), it's less tropical, showing more restraint and (perhaps) greater aging potential. Hints of toasted grain, lime custard and scorched lemon zest appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is rich, delivering notes of toasted marshmallow and a heavily textured, slightly coarse texture, but finishes long.
Rating: 95 –95
Another terrific year for this wine, the 2017 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc offers up smoky, bacony aromas, which add a mouthwatering note to the wine's citrus and melon flavors. It's full-bodied, maybe not as rich, dense or age-worthy as the 2016, yet with great freshness and incisive length.
Rating: 94 –97
The 2016 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc should prove to be a terrific wine once it’s bottled next year. It certainly looks great out of barrel, loaded with richness yet weightless at the same time, marked by toast but balanced by fruit and with a plush texture and lengthy finish.
Rating: 95 –95
Hints of toasted marshmallow appear on the nose of Guigal's 2016 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc, but they're just grace notes accenting deep flavors of ripe peaches and melon. Full-bodied, silky and rich, yet with a deep core of reserved power, this looks to be capable of aging 25 years or so.
Rating: 93 –96
What’s designated for the 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is a fresh, crisp and focused example of this cuvée, offering ample minerality and crushed rock nuances as well as notes of tangerines, white flowers and white peach. Backward and tight now, I’m sure it will put on weight with time in bottle.
Rating: 94 –94
Sourced from the Les Murets (80%) and L'Hermite (20%) lieux-dits, the 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is a big, full-bodied wine that was 100% barrel-fermented in new oak. Toast marks the nose, but the wine is shut down right now and perplexingly difficult to evaluate. The long, crushed-stone finish suggests better things lie ahead.
Rating: 95 –95
Since the 2016 hasn't been bottled yet, I was offered a second look at the in-bottle 2015 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc, which I rated 94+? last year. This year, it's a bit more open, showing toasty-nutty notes of almonds and hazelnuts layered over intense melon and pear fruit. This full-bodied powerhouse shows great texture, spice and length. Although drinkable now, I've no doubt it will be singing with the cheese course in 15 years.
Rating: 92 –95
The 2014 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc offers more citrus, white flowers and quince in a medium to full-bodied, juicy, elegant style that still packs a wallop of fruit and power. It will gain additional richness and depth during its stint in barrel, but I suspect it will be an approachable vintage for this cuvee.
Rating: 97 –97
The 2013 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is a head-turner that offers sensational notes of buttered stone fruits, charcoal, toasted bread, toasted nuts and freshly crushed rocks. Take Marsanne and filter it through a bed of rocks, and you’d have an idea of what this beauty tastes like. Full-bodied, thick, unctuous and concentrated, it’s certainly one of the most exciting dry whites coming from the Northern Rhône Valley today.
Rating: 95 –97
More tight, focused and reserved than the 2012, the 2013 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is nevertheless an incredible effort that sports serious notes of white peach, citrus blossom, charcoal and crushed rock-like minerality. It’s a concentrated, full-bodied, laser-focused white Hermitage that has a stacked mid-palate, bright acidity and no lack of structure. It has a ways to go before bottling, but it's certainly starting from a good point.
Rating: 95 –97
The 2013 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc has gained a touch more flesh and density since I tasted it last year. Thick, rich, concentrated and with bright acidity, it offers the classic caramelized stone fruits, honeycomb and minerality that this cuvee always exhibits. I’ll most likely taste this again from barrel next year, but it’s in the same ballpark as the 2012 in terms of quality.
Rating: 96 –96
Released in February and reminiscent of the forward and charming 2007, the 2012 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is a huge, sexy beast that has loads of mid-palate density, full-bodied richness and terrific notes of orange marmalade, caramelized peaches, honeysuckle and rose petals. It has moderate acidity, yet I suspect will age on its extract and concentration.
Rating: 93 –95
While there was no Ex-Voto Blanc produced in 2011, the 2012 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc (which also might not be produced) has plenty of potential. Showing the freshness and purity of the vintage, with clean, pure aromas and flavors of buttered apples, white currants and citrus, it is a medium to full-bodied effort possessing juicy acidity, solid richness and a great finish. A fair step back from the 2010 (although this cuvee continues to gain substance and depth in bottle), it’s nevertheless a superb white. (Not yet released) One of the highlight tastings during my more than two weeks spent working in the Northern Rhone, this set of releases by the father/son pair, Marcel and Philippe Guigal, is about as stacked a lineup as you’ll find anywhere in the world. From their tiny production Cote Roties, to the massive production level Cotes du Rhone (red and white), the quality here is impeccable, as is the attention to detail at every step of the winemaking process. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, reds first, their 2009s are some of the most bombastic, decadent and thrilling wines out there. While they have the over the top richness that allows them to dish out plenty of pleasure even now, they need 4-5 years to integrate their oak and to fully flesh out. Count yourself lucky if you have a few of these hidden in the cellar. More classic in style across the board, the 2010s are more focused and straight, yet similarly concentrated, if not with additional density. They will take slightly longer to come around compared to the 2009s, and certainly offer a more textbook drinking experience. They, too, are at the top of the wine hierarchy. The 2011s show the vintage nicely with slightly more approachable profiles, sweet tannin and brilliant concentration, especially in the vintage. They still have another year in barrel to go, but will certainly be among the top wines of the vintage, have broad drink windows, and should come close to what was achieved in 2009 and 2010, albeit in a different style. Lastly, the 2012s should, in my mind, surpass the 2011s, as they have a smidge more overall density, as well as fabulous purity. Neither the 2011s nor 2012s have the density of the 2010s, nor the sheer wealth of material that’s found in the 2009s. Nevertheless, time will tell, and these wines won’t be bottled for some time yet. Looking at the whites, 2011 and 2012 are similar in quality. Both vintages have beautiful purity, good overall acidity and good concentration, i.e., lots to like. Whether or not we’ll see a 2012 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc (which was not produced in 2011) remains to be seen, but what I tasted was certainly promising, if not earth-shattering (as was the 2010!). Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 94 –96
While still not completely sure if they’ll release it or not, the 2012 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc (90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne aged 30 months in new barrels) has brilliant notes of crème brûlée, caramelized fruits, honeysuckle and brioche. Silky, pure and elegant, with classy richness in its full-bodied, textured, balanced personality, it should easily be a mid to upper-90s scoring effort and have two decades of longevity.
Rating: 96 –96
Scheduled to be released in February of next year, the 2012 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is similar to the classic Hermitage Blanc, yet ratchets the intensity up a notch. Acacia flowers, brioche, caramelized peach, quince and even a kiss of mint all emerge from this full-bodied, layered, concentrated white that has fabulous mid-palate depth and a blockbuster finish. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades.
Rating: 93 –95
The Guigals were still not certain if it will make the final cut at bottling, but they currently have a lot designated as the 2011 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc. Although clearly not at the level of the 2009 and 2010, it is a vibrant, beautifully rich, full throttle white revealing lots of glycerin, honeysuckle and caramelized melon-like characteristics. It is seemingly big, rich and ageworthy enough to merit bottling. (Not yet released) The Guigal family may be the modern world’s greatest testament to a family-run winery with impeccably high standards, integrity and an uncompromising vision of the future. They continue to push the envelope of quality to greater and greater heights. Marcel Guigal learned it all from his father, Etienne, a legend in the Northern Rhone. Over my three decade plus career, it has been a noteworthy story to watch Marcel’s son, Philippe, take full responsibility for the future direction of this incredible enterprise, if not empire. I have almost unlimited admiration for the Guigals and their ability to produce millions of bottles of inexpensive Cotes du Rhones that are among the finest of the entire Rhone Valley, as well as their portfolio of exquisite whites, reds and roses from the most prestigious appellations in the Rhone. After more than three decades of tasting here, I never cease to be amazed by what they accomplish. I have said this many, many times, but it bears repeating – the magic of the Guigals is not only due to having some extraordinary vineyards in St.-Joseph, Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Condrieu, but also the ability to pay the highest price for purchased grapes and/or wine from which they fashion remarkable blends. The importance of a wine’s upbringing (or, as the French call it, elevage) is the key to understanding the entire Guigal locomotive. No one does it better; no one has done it longer; and no one seems to have the Midas touch for putting the wines in the bottle at precisely the right moment to capture the essence of a wine before it begins to fade or lose its vibrancy. This may sound easy, but to date, no one comes remotely close to what the Guigals consistently do across all fields of play. About a decade ago, Guigal’s white wines began to take on an amazing level of quality and the family continues to augment and increase that quality. Their Cotes du Rhone Blanc, usually a blend of two-thirds Viognier and the rest Clairette and Bourboulenc, has become a reference point for what amazing value and high quality can be achieved in a completely naked, expressive wine. Guigal produces approximately 40% of all the Condrieu made, and he continues to add some exquisite terroirs to his portfolio. For example, he recently bought the vineyard owned by Alain Parent and Gerard Depardieu, Lys de Volant. Guigal can produce two cuvees of white Hermitage, their regular blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, and, in exceptional vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is approximately 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. It spends more time in small new oak than the regular cuvee. From the Northern Rhone, Guigal’s finest values are his Crozes-Hermitage and his lower level cuvees of St.-Joseph, all of which are 100% Syrah. The Crozes-Hermitage comes from hillside vineyards and the St.-Joseph comes from hillsides with decomposed granite soils that are commonplace in the northern half of that sprawling appellation. There are three cuvees of St.-Joseph, the generic St.-Joseph, the Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph (which comes from estate vineyards), and one of the greatest wines of the appellation, the St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice, an extremely steep, photogenic site that towers above the town of Tournon, across the Rhone River from Tain L’Hermitage. With the purchase of the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the holdings of De Vallouit, Guigal increased his estate vineyards in Hermitage. A basic Hermitage cuvee is produced each year, and in the top vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto is made. Guigal now owns vineyards in the famed lieux-dits of Les Bessards, Dionnieres, l’Ermite and Le Meal. The regular Hermitage is generally aged for up to three years in small oak casks, about 50% new. When declared, the Ex-Voto is given the same 42 months in 100% new French oak as his three single vineyard Cote Roties (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque). The Ex-Voto is a blend of fruit from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and Les Murets (20%). Guigal produces approximately 300,000 bottles each year of his Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde. We started with the 2008, probably the second worst vintage in the Northern Rhone (2002 being the worst in the last decade). Not a single vineyard wine, but a prodigious Cote Rotie is Guigal’s Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis. Marcel Guigal’s son, Philippe, lives at this estate with his wife and children, and this is also where they cooper their wood barrels made from staves that are air-dried a minimum of three years. This cuvee is always a blend of some of the finest parcels on the hillsides of Cote Rotie, including La Garde, Le Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria. It is aged 38 months in 100% new French oak, and around 2,000 cases are produced in most vintages. The three single vineyard Cote Roties are consistently among the world’s greatest wines. I often find La Mouline to be a so-called “desert island” wine as it was in vintages such as 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2009. La Mouline is made from the oldest vines and is vinified differently than the other single vineyard cuvees, utilizing pump-over techniques as opposed to punching down (La Turque) or immersed cap (La Landonne). To reiterate, the Cote Rotie La Turque comes from the Cote Brune and its upbringing is the same as La Mouline’s, aged 42 months in 100% new French oak, co-fermented with 5-7% Viognier, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It comes from younger vines as the first vintage was 1985 and that remarkable wine was made from 3-year-old vines (which puts a kink in the French myth that old vines are always the best). As I previously indicated, La Turque is vinified by punching down as opposed to pumping over or the immersed cap fermentation of La Landonne. The third of these prodigious Cote Roties, La Landonne, comes from the Cote Brune. Unlike its siblings, it is 100% Syrah that receives the same upbringing, 42 months in 100% new French oak and bottling with no fining or filtration. The other luxury cuvee, although not a single vineyard wine, is the Hermitage Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It is always fashioned from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%), Les Murets (10%) and l’Ermite (10%). The Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape produced by Guigal are often excellent, even outstanding wines that sell for a fraction of the price asked for his luxury cuvees of Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Condrieu and St.-Joseph. Guigal’s Gigondas spends around 24-25 months in wood foudres, and includes a great deal of Mourvedre in the blend. The Chateauneuf du Pape, which comes from purchased wine, is aged two years in foudre prior to release. Guigal normally includes a minimum of 10% Mourvedre in the blend, with the balance old vine Grenache. As I have said many times, one of these days the Guigals will purchase a famous estate in Chateauneuf du Pape because Marcel’s father, Etienne, had always said the three greatest appellations of the Rhone Valley were Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape (few people would disagree). Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 100 –100
The utterly perfect 2010 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is as good as it gets in Hermitage Blanc. Offering a crazy array of liquid rock-like minerality, graphite, flint, white currants, white peach and quince, it's layered, full-bodied, impeccably balanced and pure. It's a straight up tour de force that’s going to have decades of longevity. As always, the blend is 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, aged 30 months in new French oak. Hat's off to the Guigal family for this incredible wine.
Rating: 98 –100
The 2010 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc may eventually eclipse the 2009. Although not yet in bottle, it continues to exhibit great pedigree. Surprisingly, it is slightly more exotic than the 2009 (which was a riper, hotter vintage), displaying notes of figs, melted licorice, quince, butterscotch and honeysuckle along with excellent minerality, acidity, fruit purity, density and a full-bodied, powerful, massive mouthfeel with a texture more akin to a red than white wine. This should be a 40-50-year wine. (Not yet released) The Guigal family may be the modern world’s greatest testament to a family-run winery with impeccably high standards, integrity and an uncompromising vision of the future. They continue to push the envelope of quality to greater and greater heights. Marcel Guigal learned it all from his father, Etienne, a legend in the Northern Rhone. Over my three decade plus career, it has been a noteworthy story to watch Marcel’s son, Philippe, take full responsibility for the future direction of this incredible enterprise, if not empire. I have almost unlimited admiration for the Guigals and their ability to produce millions of bottles of inexpensive Cotes du Rhones that are among the finest of the entire Rhone Valley, as well as their portfolio of exquisite whites, reds and roses from the most prestigious appellations in the Rhone. After more than three decades of tasting here, I never cease to be amazed by what they accomplish. I have said this many, many times, but it bears repeating – the magic of the Guigals is not only due to having some extraordinary vineyards in St.-Joseph, Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Condrieu, but also the ability to pay the highest price for purchased grapes and/or wine from which they fashion remarkable blends. The importance of a wine’s upbringing (or, as the French call it, elevage) is the key to understanding the entire Guigal locomotive. No one does it better; no one has done it longer; and no one seems to have the Midas touch for putting the wines in the bottle at precisely the right moment to capture the essence of a wine before it begins to fade or lose its vibrancy. This may sound easy, but to date, no one comes remotely close to what the Guigals consistently do across all fields of play. About a decade ago, Guigal’s white wines began to take on an amazing level of quality and the family continues to augment and increase that quality. Their Cotes du Rhone Blanc, usually a blend of two-thirds Viognier and the rest Clairette and Bourboulenc, has become a reference point for what amazing value and high quality can be achieved in a completely naked, expressive wine. Guigal produces approximately 40% of all the Condrieu made, and he continues to add some exquisite terroirs to his portfolio. For example, he recently bought the vineyard owned by Alain Parent and Gerard Depardieu, Lys de Volant. Guigal can produce two cuvees of white Hermitage, their regular blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, and, in exceptional vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is approximately 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. It spends more time in small new oak than the regular cuvee. From the Northern Rhone, Guigal’s finest values are his Crozes-Hermitage and his lower level cuvees of St.-Joseph, all of which are 100% Syrah. The Crozes-Hermitage comes from hillside vineyards and the St.-Joseph comes from hillsides with decomposed granite soils that are commonplace in the northern half of that sprawling appellation. There are three cuvees of St.-Joseph, the generic St.-Joseph, the Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph (which comes from estate vineyards), and one of the greatest wines of the appellation, the St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice, an extremely steep, photogenic site that towers above the town of Tournon, across the Rhone River from Tain L’Hermitage. With the purchase of the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the holdings of De Vallouit, Guigal increased his estate vineyards in Hermitage. A basic Hermitage cuvee is produced each year, and in the top vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto is made. Guigal now owns vineyards in the famed lieux-dits of Les Bessards, Dionnieres, l’Ermite and Le Meal. The regular Hermitage is generally aged for up to three years in small oak casks, about 50% new. When declared, the Ex-Voto is given the same 42 months in 100% new French oak as his three single vineyard Cote Roties (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque). The Ex-Voto is a blend of fruit from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and Les Murets (20%). Guigal produces approximately 300,000 bottles each year of his Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde. We started with the 2008, probably the second worst vintage in the Northern Rhone (2002 being the worst in the last decade). Not a single vineyard wine, but a prodigious Cote Rotie is Guigal’s Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis. Marcel Guigal’s son, Philippe, lives at this estate with his wife and children, and this is also where they cooper their wood barrels made from staves that are air-dried a minimum of three years. This cuvee is always a blend of some of the finest parcels on the hillsides of Cote Rotie, including La Garde, Le Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria. It is aged 38 months in 100% new French oak, and around 2,000 cases are produced in most vintages. The three single vineyard Cote Roties are consistently among the world’s greatest wines. I often find La Mouline to be a so-called “desert island” wine as it was in vintages such as 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2009. La Mouline is made from the oldest vines and is vinified differently than the other single vineyard cuvees, utilizing pump-over techniques as opposed to punching down (La Turque) or immersed cap (La Landonne). To reiterate, the Cote Rotie La Turque comes from the Cote Brune and its upbringing is the same as La Mouline’s, aged 42 months in 100% new French oak, co-fermented with 5-7% Viognier, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It comes from younger vines as the first vintage was 1985 and that remarkable wine was made from 3-year-old vines (which puts a kink in the French myth that old vines are always the best). As I previously indicated, La Turque is vinified by punching down as opposed to pumping over or the immersed cap fermentation of La Landonne. The third of these prodigious Cote Roties, La Landonne, comes from the Cote Brune. Unlike its siblings, it is 100% Syrah that receives the same upbringing, 42 months in 100% new French oak and bottling with no fining or filtration. The other luxury cuvee, although not a single vineyard wine, is the Hermitage Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It is always fashioned from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%), Les Murets (10%) and l’Ermite (10%). The Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape produced by Guigal are often excellent, even outstanding wines that sell for a fraction of the price asked for his luxury cuvees of Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Condrieu and St.-Joseph. Guigal’s Gigondas spends around 24-25 months in wood foudres, and includes a great deal of Mourvedre in the blend. The Chateauneuf du Pape, which comes from purchased wine, is aged two years in foudre prior to release. Guigal normally includes a minimum of 10% Mourvedre in the blend, with the balance old vine Grenache. As I have said many times, one of these days the Guigals will purchase a famous estate in Chateauneuf du Pape because Marcel’s father, Etienne, had always said the three greatest appellations of the Rhone Valley were Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape (few people would disagree). Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 95 –97
The 2010 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc had just finished malolactic fermentation when I tasted it. The wine revealed a wonderful smoky, earthy nose with buttery intensity, a full-bodied texture, good purity and length, lots of fruit and glycerin, and plenty of zesty acidity. It should be another 30-50-year wine. (Not yet released) The following paragraph is taken from issue #193, but I believe it is so important to understand the Guigal philosophy that I am repeating it verbatim. “As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at ‘raising’ a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank, as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms of the upbringing of his wines.” Crozes-Hermitage has become one of the Guigal “go-to” wines for value hunters and he has raised the level of this humble appellation dramatically with his recent efforts. Guigal has become a master of red and white St.-Joseph, producing separate cuvees, all of which are usually stunning. Guigal is the appellation’s largest producer of Condrieu. All of his Condrieus are put through 100% malolactic, with his basic cuvee aged in stainless steel (66%) and small oak barrels (34%). Guigal also excels with white Hermitage. In truly great vintages he also produces a limited cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the most renowned sectors for Hermitage, l’Ermite and Les Murets. Along with Michel Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, Guigal’s St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice is the top wine of the appellation. Guigal purchased this 8-acre parcel of steep hillside vines from Grippat. Aged 30 months in 100% new oak, this wine is extraordinary. Guigal claims the soil is reminiscent of Les Bessards Vineyard in Hermitage Over the last decade, Guigal has dramatically increased his vineyard holdings in Hermitage, purchasing the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the Hermitage holdings of De Vallouit. He now has parcels in such famed vineyards as Le Meal, Les Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. Guigal’s basic red Hermitage (which has been made for over five decades) is generally aged for more than three years in small casks, of which about 45% are new. In exceptional vintages, Guigal will cull out a special cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new French oak. One thousand cases are usually made from three separate vineyards (40% from Les Bessards, 40% from Les Greffieux and 20% from Les Murets.) Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 100 –100
Bottled in February of this year, after spending 30 months in new oak barrels, the 2010 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc is absolutely heavenly stuff! Comprised of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, this incredible white boasts massive aromatics of white currants, white peach, flowers, licorice, sauteed nuts and brioche, as well as a striking minerality that comes out with additional time in the glass. Coming from the oldest vines in Hermitage, it is a full-bodied, incredibly concentrated effort that builds on the palate and through the finish, yet stays fresh, elegant and lively, without ever being over the top. One of the greatest white wines I was able to taste during my trip through the region, this beauty should either be consumed in the coming 4-6 years, or forgotten for 20. One of the highlight tastings during my more than two weeks spent working in the Northern Rhone, this set of releases by the father/son pair, Marcel and Philippe Guigal, is about as stacked a lineup as you’ll find anywhere in the world. From their tiny production Cote Roties, to the massive production level Cotes du Rhone (red and white), the quality here is impeccable, as is the attention to detail at every step of the winemaking process. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, reds first, their 2009s are some of the most bombastic, decadent and thrilling wines out there. While they have the over the top richness that allows them to dish out plenty of pleasure even now, they need 4-5 years to integrate their oak and to fully flesh out. Count yourself lucky if you have a few of these hidden in the cellar. More classic in style across the board, the 2010s are more focused and straight, yet similarly concentrated, if not with additional density. They will take slightly longer to come around compared to the 2009s, and certainly offer a more textbook drinking experience. They, too, are at the top of the wine hierarchy. The 2011s show the vintage nicely with slightly more approachable profiles, sweet tannin and brilliant concentration, especially in the vintage. They still have another year in barrel to go, but will certainly be among the top wines of the vintage, have broad drink windows, and should come close to what was achieved in 2009 and 2010, albeit in a different style. Lastly, the 2012s should, in my mind, surpass the 2011s, as they have a smidge more overall density, as well as fabulous purity. Neither the 2011s nor 2012s have the density of the 2010s, nor the sheer wealth of material that’s found in the 2009s. Nevertheless, time will tell, and these wines won’t be bottled for some time yet. Looking at the whites, 2011 and 2012 are similar in quality. Both vintages have beautiful purity, good overall acidity and good concentration, i.e., lots to like. Whether or not we’ll see a 2012 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc (which was not produced in 2011) remains to be seen, but what I tasted was certainly promising, if not earth-shattering (as was the 2010!). Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 100 –100
Like the 2010, the 2009 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is an utterly perfect wine, and I finished my note during the tasting with “the best white wine I’ve ever tasted?”. More unctuous, thick and flamboyant than the more reserved and mineral-laced 2010, it has soaring aromatics of caramelized peach, brioche, white flowers and orange marmalade. These flow to a full-bodied, huge white that packs incredible richness and depth, yet still glides across the palate with no weight or heaviness. This is truly heavenly juice that I wish every reader could taste!
Rating: 95 –95
Finally in bottle, the 2009 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc is an incredible example of white Hermitage. Made in a more spicy, oaky style than either Michel Chapoutier’s or Delas’ white Hermitage, the Ex-Voto exhibits tremendous richness and intensity with plenty of buttery citrus, a subtle touch of spicy oak, honeysuckle, spring flowers and orange marmalade. Deep, rich and full-bodied with a greenish hue to its color, this viscous effort will probably follow the typical pattern of white Hermitage, drinking great for 5-7 years, then going into a dumb, oxidative state for 5-10 years, re-emerging to last 50+ years. The Guigal family may be the modern world’s greatest testament to a family-run winery with impeccably high standards, integrity and an uncompromising vision of the future. They continue to push the envelope of quality to greater and greater heights. Marcel Guigal learned it all from his father, Etienne, a legend in the Northern Rhone. Over my three decade plus career, it has been a noteworthy story to watch Marcel’s son, Philippe, take full responsibility for the future direction of this incredible enterprise, if not empire. I have almost unlimited admiration for the Guigals and their ability to produce millions of bottles of inexpensive Cotes du Rhones that are among the finest of the entire Rhone Valley, as well as their portfolio of exquisite whites, reds and roses from the most prestigious appellations in the Rhone. After more than three decades of tasting here, I never cease to be amazed by what they accomplish. I have said this many, many times, but it bears repeating – the magic of the Guigals is not only due to having some extraordinary vineyards in St.-Joseph, Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Condrieu, but also the ability to pay the highest price for purchased grapes and/or wine from which they fashion remarkable blends. The importance of a wine’s upbringing (or, as the French call it, elevage) is the key to understanding the entire Guigal locomotive. No one does it better; no one has done it longer; and no one seems to have the Midas touch for putting the wines in the bottle at precisely the right moment to capture the essence of a wine before it begins to fade or lose its vibrancy. This may sound easy, but to date, no one comes remotely close to what the Guigals consistently do across all fields of play. About a decade ago, Guigal’s white wines began to take on an amazing level of quality and the family continues to augment and increase that quality. Their Cotes du Rhone Blanc, usually a blend of two-thirds Viognier and the rest Clairette and Bourboulenc, has become a reference point for what amazing value and high quality can be achieved in a completely naked, expressive wine. Guigal produces approximately 40% of all the Condrieu made, and he continues to add some exquisite terroirs to his portfolio. For example, he recently bought the vineyard owned by Alain Parent and Gerard Depardieu, Lys de Volant. Guigal can produce two cuvees of white Hermitage, their regular blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne, and, in exceptional vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is approximately 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. It spends more time in small new oak than the regular cuvee. From the Northern Rhone, Guigal’s finest values are his Crozes-Hermitage and his lower level cuvees of St.-Joseph, all of which are 100% Syrah. The Crozes-Hermitage comes from hillside vineyards and the St.-Joseph comes from hillsides with decomposed granite soils that are commonplace in the northern half of that sprawling appellation. There are three cuvees of St.-Joseph, the generic St.-Joseph, the Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph (which comes from estate vineyards), and one of the greatest wines of the appellation, the St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice, an extremely steep, photogenic site that towers above the town of Tournon, across the Rhone River from Tain L’Hermitage. With the purchase of the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the holdings of De Vallouit, Guigal increased his estate vineyards in Hermitage. A basic Hermitage cuvee is produced each year, and in the top vintages, a luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto is made. Guigal now owns vineyards in the famed lieux-dits of Les Bessards, Dionnieres, l’Ermite and Le Meal. The regular Hermitage is generally aged for up to three years in small oak casks, about 50% new. When declared, the Ex-Voto is given the same 42 months in 100% new French oak as his three single vineyard Cote Roties (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque). The Ex-Voto is a blend of fruit from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and Les Murets (20%). Guigal produces approximately 300,000 bottles each year of his Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde. We started with the 2008, probably the second worst vintage in the Northern Rhone (2002 being the worst in the last decade). Not a single vineyard wine, but a prodigious Cote Rotie is Guigal’s Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis. Marcel Guigal’s son, Philippe, lives at this estate with his wife and children, and this is also where they cooper their wood barrels made from staves that are air-dried a minimum of three years. This cuvee is always a blend of some of the finest parcels on the hillsides of Cote Rotie, including La Garde, Le Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria. It is aged 38 months in 100% new French oak, and around 2,000 cases are produced in most vintages. The three single vineyard Cote Roties are consistently among the world’s greatest wines. I often find La Mouline to be a so-called “desert island” wine as it was in vintages such as 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2009. La Mouline is made from the oldest vines and is vinified differently than the other single vineyard cuvees, utilizing pump-over techniques as opposed to punching down (La Turque) or immersed cap (La Landonne). To reiterate, the Cote Rotie La Turque comes from the Cote Brune and its upbringing is the same as La Mouline’s, aged 42 months in 100% new French oak, co-fermented with 5-7% Viognier, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It comes from younger vines as the first vintage was 1985 and that remarkable wine was made from 3-year-old vines (which puts a kink in the French myth that old vines are always the best). As I previously indicated, La Turque is vinified by punching down as opposed to pumping over or the immersed cap fermentation of La Landonne. The third of these prodigious Cote Roties, La Landonne, comes from the Cote Brune. Unlike its siblings, it is 100% Syrah that receives the same upbringing, 42 months in 100% new French oak and bottling with no fining or filtration. The other luxury cuvee, although not a single vineyard wine, is the Hermitage Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It is always fashioned from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%), Les Murets (10%) and l’Ermite (10%). The Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape produced by Guigal are often excellent, even outstanding wines that sell for a fraction of the price asked for his luxury cuvees of Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Condrieu and St.-Joseph. Guigal’s Gigondas spends around 24-25 months in wood foudres, and includes a great deal of Mourvedre in the blend. The Chateauneuf du Pape, which comes from purchased wine, is aged two years in foudre prior to release. Guigal normally includes a minimum of 10% Mourvedre in the blend, with the balance old vine Grenache. As I have said many times, one of these days the Guigals will purchase a famous estate in Chateauneuf du Pape because Marcel’s father, Etienne, had always said the three greatest appellations of the Rhone Valley were Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape (few people would disagree). Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 94 –97
The 2009 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc offers extraordinary aromas and flavors of spring flowers, caramelized oranges, nectarines and other citrus, an underlying unctuosity, massive honeyed richness, great intensity, a multidimensional mouthfeel and a long finish. It is capable of lasting for five decades. (Not yet released) The following paragraph is taken from issue #193, but I believe it is so important to understand the Guigal philosophy that I am repeating it verbatim. “As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at ‘raising’ a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank, as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms of the upbringing of his wines.” Crozes-Hermitage has become one of the Guigal “go-to” wines for value hunters and he has raised the level of this humble appellation dramatically with his recent efforts. Guigal has become a master of red and white St.-Joseph, producing separate cuvees, all of which are usually stunning. Guigal is the appellation’s largest producer of Condrieu. All of his Condrieus are put through 100% malolactic, with his basic cuvee aged in stainless steel (66%) and small oak barrels (34%). Guigal also excels with white Hermitage. In truly great vintages he also produces a limited cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the most renowned sectors for Hermitage, l’Ermite and Les Murets. Along with Michel Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, Guigal’s St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice is the top wine of the appellation. Guigal purchased this 8-acre parcel of steep hillside vines from Grippat. Aged 30 months in 100% new oak, this wine is extraordinary. Guigal claims the soil is reminiscent of Les Bessards Vineyard in Hermitage Over the last decade, Guigal has dramatically increased his vineyard holdings in Hermitage, purchasing the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the Hermitage holdings of De Vallouit. He now has parcels in such famed vineyards as Le Meal, Les Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. Guigal’s basic red Hermitage (which has been made for over five decades) is generally aged for more than three years in small casks, of which about 45% are new. In exceptional vintages, Guigal will cull out a special cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new French oak. One thousand cases are usually made from three separate vineyards (40% from Les Bessards, 40% from Les Greffieux and 20% from Les Murets.) Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 94 –98
A barrel sample of the 2009 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc is sensational. Notes of powdered rock, anise, intense honeyed citrus, tropical fruit and quince along with lively acids and massive concentration suggest this 2009 will be a long distance runner and confirms the greatness of this vintage. Fat and unctuous, it should be approachable young, but last for 2+ decades. (Not yet released) As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at “raising” a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms the upbringing his wines. For ten to twelve years after my first visit to this estate in the late 1970s, I tended to think of Guigal as primarily a red wine specialist. I still believe the red wines are the heart and soul of Maison Guigal, but the quality of the white wines has gone from strength to strength over the last few decades, and the Guigal family now routinely produces some of the finest dry whites of the entire Rhone Valley, including their humble Cotes du Rhone, and more particularly their white cuvees of Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, Hermitage and Condrieu. They produce more of the latter wine than any other proprietor of this tiny appellation. Guigal’s 2008 whites have turned out surprisingly strong. There is widespread agreement that the greatest terroir of the large appellation of St.-Joseph is the 8-acre parcel high on the steep hillsides above the city of Tournon. With a south/southeast facing exposition overlooking the Rhone River and Tain l’Hermitage, this 8-acre site is Guigal’s famous Vignes de l’Hospice St.-Joseph. This vineyard is composed of fragmented granite soils that are similar to the famed Les Bessards on the other side of the river in Hermitage. Unfortunately, only 500 or so cases of the Vignes de l’Hospice emerge from this vineyard. Along with Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, it is always one of the St.-Josephs of the appellation. The Vignes de l’Hospice spends 30 months in small new oak casks, but one would never know that when smelling or tasting it. I admire what Guigal is doing with his two white wines from St.-Joseph. The generic St.-Joseph is always 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne aged in stainless steel (50%), new oak (25%) and neutral oak (25%). The special 1,000 case cuvee of St.-Joseph Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph is composed of 93% Marsanne and 7% Roussanne from a 5-acre parcel, and is aged in 100% new oak. In top vintages, Guigal produces two cuvees of white Hermitage, the generic offering and the limited production Hermitage called Ex-Voto, a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the great sites for white Hermitage, Les Murets and l’Ermite. No Ex-Voto was made in 2008 as it was blended with the regular white Hermitage. These wines spend a number of years in small French oak. Guigal’s red wines possess some of the lowest sulphur dioxide levels of any finished wines I have ever tasted. Most of them are approximately 10 ppm (parts per million) total SO2, which is virtually nothing. That said, the wines always age incredibly well, which goes back to Guigal’s brilliant, patient, long-term barrel, tank and foudre aging. The current value picks in Guigal’s red wine portfolio are his Crozes-Hermitage (one offering made) and his three St.-Joseph cuvees. Readers looking for over-the-top richness and 40-50 years of aging potential should check out the special cuvee Ex-Voto. There are usually around 1,000 cases of this old vine blend from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and the balance primarily from Les Murets. Hermitage has been made by the Guigal firm for over 50 years. The quality of the wines has gotten dramatically better with the acquisition of top vineyard sites from producers such as Jean-Louis Grippat and the De Vallouit family. This has allowed Guigal to add holdings from such famed lieux-dits as Le Meal, Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. In most vintages, the regular Hermitage is aged 3 years in cask of which 45% is new French oak. The special cuvee called Hermitage Ex-Voto is aged for 42 months in 100% new French oak. All of these offerings are aged in barrels that are specifically made at Guigal’s own cooper at Chateau d’Ampuis. Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 96 –96
Drinking beautifully, the 2007 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc shows a forward, full-bodied, rounded style as well as a classic perfume of quince, caramelized stone fruits and crushed rocks. Like always, it was aged in 100% new French oak for 30 months, yet at this point, there’s not a trace of oak to be found. Still fresh and lively, with a healthy light gold color, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 15+ years.
Rating: 93 –93
The 2007 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc enjoys the same 100% new oak treatment and 30 months aging in barrel (an uncommonly long time for a dry white wine, but these wines are so concentrated and full, they can easily handle their long aging). The 2007 is more closed than the 2006, revealing a light gold color along with hints of crushed rocks, white currants, quince, hazelnut and marmalade, excellent acidity and super intensity but much less evolution, which is atypical for this vintage. Cellar it for several years and consume it over the following two decades. As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at “raising” a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms the upbringing his wines. For ten to twelve years after my first visit to this estate in the late 1970s, I tended to think of Guigal as primarily a red wine specialist. I still believe the red wines are the heart and soul of Maison Guigal, but the quality of the white wines has gone from strength to strength over the last few decades, and the Guigal family now routinely produces some of the finest dry whites of the entire Rhone Valley, including their humble Cotes du Rhone, and more particularly their white cuvees of Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, Hermitage and Condrieu. They produce more of the latter wine than any other proprietor of this tiny appellation. Guigal’s 2008 whites have turned out surprisingly strong. There is widespread agreement that the greatest terroir of the large appellation of St.-Joseph is the 8-acre parcel high on the steep hillsides above the city of Tournon. With a south/southeast facing exposition overlooking the Rhone River and Tain l’Hermitage, this 8-acre site is Guigal’s famous Vignes de l’Hospice St.-Joseph. This vineyard is composed of fragmented granite soils that are similar to the famed Les Bessards on the other side of the river in Hermitage. Unfortunately, only 500 or so cases of the Vignes de l’Hospice emerge from this vineyard. Along with Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, it is always one of the St.-Josephs of the appellation. The Vignes de l’Hospice spends 30 months in small new oak casks, but one would never know that when smelling or tasting it. I admire what Guigal is doing with his two white wines from St.-Joseph. The generic St.-Joseph is always 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne aged in stainless steel (50%), new oak (25%) and neutral oak (25%). The special 1,000 case cuvee of St.-Joseph Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph is composed of 93% Marsanne and 7% Roussanne from a 5-acre parcel, and is aged in 100% new oak. In top vintages, Guigal produces two cuvees of white Hermitage, the generic offering and the limited production Hermitage called Ex-Voto, a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the great sites for white Hermitage, Les Murets and l’Ermite. No Ex-Voto was made in 2008 as it was blended with the regular white Hermitage. These wines spend a number of years in small French oak. Guigal’s red wines possess some of the lowest sulphur dioxide levels of any finished wines I have ever tasted. Most of them are approximately 10 ppm (parts per million) total SO2, which is virtually nothing. That said, the wines always age incredibly well, which goes back to Guigal’s brilliant, patient, long-term barrel, tank and foudre aging. The current value picks in Guigal’s red wine portfolio are his Crozes-Hermitage (one offering made) and his three St.-Joseph cuvees. Readers looking for over-the-top richness and 40-50 years of aging potential should check out the special cuvee Ex-Voto. There are usually around 1,000 cases of this old vine blend from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and the balance primarily from Les Murets. Hermitage has been made by the Guigal firm for over 50 years. The quality of the wines has gotten dramatically better with the acquisition of top vineyard sites from producers such as Jean-Louis Grippat and the De Vallouit family. This has allowed Guigal to add holdings from such famed lieux-dits as Le Meal, Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. In most vintages, the regular Hermitage is aged 3 years in cask of which 45% is new French oak. The special cuvee called Hermitage Ex-Voto is aged for 42 months in 100% new French oak. All of these offerings are aged in barrels that are specifically made at Guigal’s own cooper at Chateau d’Ampuis. Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 92 –94
As I mentioned above, Guigal is not sure if he will offer a Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc in 2007. The barrel samples I tasted revealed a honeyed ripeness, spicy new oak, and outstanding concentration, but at this stage, it appears this wine will never achieve the high quality of the 2005, 2003, or 2001, much less the 2006. (Not yet released) While the entire world of wine knows how profound Guigal’s red wines are, they may not know that he continues to demonstrate a complete mastery of white wine varietals, from his lowly Cotes du Rhone blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, to his seriously-endowed dry whites from the northern Rhone. There are two cuvees of white Hermitage. The luxury offering, Ex-Voto, comes from five acres of 90-year old Marsanne vines planted in two separate vineyards on Hermitage Hill - l’Ermite and Les Murets. As the following notes indicate, Guigal has set aside a number of barrels that could make up the 2007 Ex-Voto, but he is not yet sure the quality will be high enough as this must be a wine of great richness and complexity. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 93 –93
The 2006 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is downright decadent, yet is also starting to show some evolution in its caramelized peach, quince and honeyed toast aromas and flavors. It’s still impressively concentrated and rich on the palate, and I’m sure will keep for another decade or more, but I would error on the side of caution and drink this over the coming 7-8 years.
Rating: 94 –96
The 2006 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc reveals nearly the same character, but there is slightly more Roussanne (15%) in the final blend. It is thick and unctuously textured, with mouth-searing levels of acidity. These limited production wines with extraordinary power and intensity are as compelling as any dry white available anywhere in the world! As always, a tasting at Guigal is an opportunity to receive several years’ worth of wine education in one day (that’s how long it takes to go through all the bottles and barrels). Marcel Guigal is obviously a brilliant businessman, but most importantly, he understands vineyards, how to get maximum quality from them, and how to make wines, at all different price levels. From his Cotes du Rhones to Cote Roties, these wines are as good as one is likely to find. When I first visited Guigal nearly thirty years ago, this was a relatively small firm. Today, his may be the most successful wine operation in France. Guigal attributes his success to hard work and never being satisfied with the status quo. He pays the highest prices of any negociant for the fruit used to fashion his Cotes du Rhone as well as other negociant wines. He has also been extraordinarily adept at buying fabulous terroirs, as evidenced by his purchase of the De Vallouit properties in Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage as well as Grippat’s top-notch vineyard holdings in St.-Joseph. Along with the late Thomas Jefferson, Guigal has always believed that white Hermitage is France’s greatest white wine. With his recent acquisitions of superb vineyard sites, he is hell-bent on proving to the world that Jefferson was correct – that white Hermitage is an amazing as well as long-lived wine. In top vintages, two cuvees are produced, the regular offering (usually a blend of primarily Marsanne with a touch of Roussanne) and the luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is generally 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two stunning vineyards. Eighty percent comes from Les Murets (regarded as one of the appellation’s finest white wine vineyards) and 20% from l’Ermite.Tasting through Guigal’s new and up-coming releases confirms his legendary consistency. He is the quintessential multitasker, fashioning inexpensive fine wines as well as super-luxurious, utterly profound reds and whites. When Guigal purchased the Grippat holdings, he received six acres of the Vignes de l’Hospice, a stunningly steep, photogenic vineyard at the top of the northern sector of St.-Joseph, looking down on the town of Tournon. These are the same decomposed granitic soils found across the river in Hermitage’s Les Bessards vineyard. Everything Guigal has produced from this vineyard has been as profound as St.-Joseph can be. In fact, his only competitor is Michel Chapoutier’s 500 or so cases of St.-Joseph Les Granits.Marcel’s talented son, Philippe, is taking over more and more of the business, and appears more than capable of filling the extraordinary shoes of his father, who I doubt will ever retire. I reviewed Guigal’s Cotes du Rhones and Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #173 (October, 2007), but he also continues to be an active buyer of high quality juice from Gigondas. He accomplishes this by tasting hundreds of samples, visiting 50-60 caves, and paying the highest price for his purchases. Guigal is unquestionably the most important producer of Cote Rotie. He buys grapes from nearly four dozen small growers, and supplements that from his own holdings. The single vineyard cuvees are excluded from this blend, but all his Cote Roties are vinified in his cellars. Guigal produces around 2,000 cases of Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis, a cuvee he first made in 1995. About 7% Viognier is included in the blend, and the sources for the fruit are all fabulous sites from both the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune. According to Guigal, research in France’s National Archives prove that in its past, Chateau d’Ampuis produced Cote Rotie from these same sites (Not yet released) Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 93 –93
The medium gold-colored 2006 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc (90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne) exhibits pear and peach marmalade, honeysuckle and exotic Asian spice notes. It is a nearly over-the-top, intense, full-bodied white with an extravagant fruit character that conceals considerable acidity and structure. It will offer a mouthful of viscous, dry white wine over the next 10-15+ years. As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at “raising” a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms the upbringing his wines. For ten to twelve years after my first visit to this estate in the late 1970s, I tended to think of Guigal as primarily a red wine specialist. I still believe the red wines are the heart and soul of Maison Guigal, but the quality of the white wines has gone from strength to strength over the last few decades, and the Guigal family now routinely produces some of the finest dry whites of the entire Rhone Valley, including their humble Cotes du Rhone, and more particularly their white cuvees of Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, Hermitage and Condrieu. They produce more of the latter wine than any other proprietor of this tiny appellation. Guigal’s 2008 whites have turned out surprisingly strong. There is widespread agreement that the greatest terroir of the large appellation of St.-Joseph is the 8-acre parcel high on the steep hillsides above the city of Tournon. With a south/southeast facing exposition overlooking the Rhone River and Tain l’Hermitage, this 8-acre site is Guigal’s famous Vignes de l’Hospice St.-Joseph. This vineyard is composed of fragmented granite soils that are similar to the famed Les Bessards on the other side of the river in Hermitage. Unfortunately, only 500 or so cases of the Vignes de l’Hospice emerge from this vineyard. Along with Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, it is always one of the St.-Josephs of the appellation. The Vignes de l’Hospice spends 30 months in small new oak casks, but one would never know that when smelling or tasting it. I admire what Guigal is doing with his two white wines from St.-Joseph. The generic St.-Joseph is always 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne aged in stainless steel (50%), new oak (25%) and neutral oak (25%). The special 1,000 case cuvee of St.-Joseph Lieu-Dit St.-Joseph is composed of 93% Marsanne and 7% Roussanne from a 5-acre parcel, and is aged in 100% new oak. In top vintages, Guigal produces two cuvees of white Hermitage, the generic offering and the limited production Hermitage called Ex-Voto, a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the great sites for white Hermitage, Les Murets and l’Ermite. No Ex-Voto was made in 2008 as it was blended with the regular white Hermitage. These wines spend a number of years in small French oak. Guigal’s red wines possess some of the lowest sulphur dioxide levels of any finished wines I have ever tasted. Most of them are approximately 10 ppm (parts per million) total SO2, which is virtually nothing. That said, the wines always age incredibly well, which goes back to Guigal’s brilliant, patient, long-term barrel, tank and foudre aging. The current value picks in Guigal’s red wine portfolio are his Crozes-Hermitage (one offering made) and his three St.-Joseph cuvees. Readers looking for over-the-top richness and 40-50 years of aging potential should check out the special cuvee Ex-Voto. There are usually around 1,000 cases of this old vine blend from Les Bessards (40%), Les Greffieux (40%) and the balance primarily from Les Murets. Hermitage has been made by the Guigal firm for over 50 years. The quality of the wines has gotten dramatically better with the acquisition of top vineyard sites from producers such as Jean-Louis Grippat and the De Vallouit family. This has allowed Guigal to add holdings from such famed lieux-dits as Le Meal, Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. In most vintages, the regular Hermitage is aged 3 years in cask of which 45% is new French oak. The special cuvee called Hermitage Ex-Voto is aged for 42 months in 100% new French oak. All of these offerings are aged in barrels that are specifically made at Guigal’s own cooper at Chateau d’Ampuis. Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000
Rating: 91 –95
The 2006 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc is a powerful, aromatic wine offering notes of crushed rocks, quince, orange marmalade, white peaches, and honeysuckle with spicy oak in the background. This dense, unctuously-textured offering is a promising white Hermitage that should drink well for three decades. (Not yet released) While the entire world of wine knows how profound Guigal’s red wines are, they may not know that he continues to demonstrate a complete mastery of white wine varietals, from his lowly Cotes du Rhone blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, to his seriously-endowed dry whites from the northern Rhone. There are two cuvees of white Hermitage. The luxury offering, Ex-Voto, comes from five acres of 90-year old Marsanne vines planted in two separate vineyards on Hermitage Hill - l’Ermite and Les Murets. As the following notes indicate, Guigal has set aside a number of barrels that could make up the 2007 Ex-Voto, but he is not yet sure the quality will be high enough as this must be a wine of great richness and complexity. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 95 –95
A wine I’ve been lucky enough to have numerous times over the past year, the 2005 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is right in the middle of its drink window and has classic aromatics of sautéed stone fruits, buttered nuts, caramel, toasted bread and even a hint of licorice. Voluptuous, rounded and sexy, it’s a quintessential Hermitage Blanc that does everything right. Drink it over the coming 10-15+ years.
Rating: 96 –98
The 2005 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc (a blend from 50- to 90-year-old vines mostly from the Hermitage vineyard called Les Murets, with about 10% of the blend from the top of Hermitage, a vineyard called l’Hermite), is phenomenally intense and a sort of white Hermitage on steroids. Honeysuckle, quince, peach liqueur, and white truffles are all part of this mineral-based, powerful, massive style of dry white wine that should drink well for 4-5 years and then go into its dormant stage and not re-emerge for 10-20 years. From a longevity perspective, it is certainly a 50-year white wine. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 95 –97
Not yet released, the 2005 Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc is an amazing offering. Honeyed quince, white truffle, marzipan, hazelnut, marmalade, and buttered citrus characteristics emerge from the aromas and flavors of this gigantic, well-endowed, massive, dry white. It has formidable concentration. This 2005 should last for 40-50 years. As always, a tasting at Guigal is an opportunity to receive several years’ worth of wine education in one day (that’s how long it takes to go through all the bottles and barrels). Marcel Guigal is obviously a brilliant businessman, but most importantly, he understands vineyards, how to get maximum quality from them, and how to make wines, at all different price levels. From his Cotes du Rhones to Cote Roties, these wines are as good as one is likely to find. When I first visited Guigal nearly thirty years ago, this was a relatively small firm. Today, his may be the most successful wine operation in France. Guigal attributes his success to hard work and never being satisfied with the status quo. He pays the highest prices of any negociant for the fruit used to fashion his Cotes du Rhone as well as other negociant wines. He has also been extraordinarily adept at buying fabulous terroirs, as evidenced by his purchase of the De Vallouit properties in Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage as well as Grippat’s top-notch vineyard holdings in St.-Joseph. Along with the late Thomas Jefferson, Guigal has always believed that white Hermitage is France’s greatest white wine. With his recent acquisitions of superb vineyard sites, he is hell-bent on proving to the world that Jefferson was correct – that white Hermitage is an amazing as well as long-lived wine. In top vintages, two cuvees are produced, the regular offering (usually a blend of primarily Marsanne with a touch of Roussanne) and the luxury cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is generally 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two stunning vineyards. Eighty percent comes from Les Murets (regarded as one of the appellation’s finest white wine vineyards) and 20% from l’Ermite.Tasting through Guigal’s new and up-coming releases confirms his legendary consistency. He is the quintessential multitasker, fashioning inexpensive fine wines as well as super-luxurious, utterly profound reds and whites. When Guigal purchased the Grippat holdings, he received six acres of the Vignes de l’Hospice, a stunningly steep, photogenic vineyard at the top of the northern sector of St.-Joseph, looking down on the town of Tournon. These are the same decomposed granitic soils found across the river in Hermitage’s Les Bessards vineyard. Everything Guigal has produced from this vineyard has been as profound as St.-Joseph can be. In fact, his only competitor is Michel Chapoutier’s 500 or so cases of St.-Joseph Les Granits.Marcel’s talented son, Philippe, is taking over more and more of the business, and appears more than capable of filling the extraordinary shoes of his father, who I doubt will ever retire. I reviewed Guigal’s Cotes du Rhones and Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #173 (October, 2007), but he also continues to be an active buyer of high quality juice from Gigondas. He accomplishes this by tasting hundreds of samples, visiting 50-60 caves, and paying the highest price for his purchases. Guigal is unquestionably the most important producer of Cote Rotie. He buys grapes from nearly four dozen small growers, and supplements that from his own holdings. The single vineyard cuvees are excluded from this blend, but all his Cote Roties are vinified in his cellars. Guigal produces around 2,000 cases of Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis, a cuvee he first made in 1995. About 7% Viognier is included in the blend, and the sources for the fruit are all fabulous sites from both the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune. According to Guigal, research in France’s National Archives prove that in its past, Chateau d’Ampuis produced Cote Rotie from these same sites (Not yet released) Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 96 –96
An outrageous wine, the 2005 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc boasts extraordinary pineapple, lychee nut, white peach, floral, crushed rock, and quince notes in its full-bodied, powerful, mouth-coating personality. A blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne, it was aged in new oak for 18 months. Nine thousand bottles were produced in 2005. It will have at least three decades of evolution. While the entire world of wine knows how profound Guigal’s red wines are, they may not know that he continues to demonstrate a complete mastery of white wine varietals, from his lowly Cotes du Rhone blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, to his seriously-endowed dry whites from the northern Rhone. There are two cuvees of white Hermitage. The luxury offering, Ex-Voto, comes from five acres of 90-year old Marsanne vines planted in two separate vineyards on Hermitage Hill - l’Ermite and Les Murets. As the following notes indicate, Guigal has set aside a number of barrels that could make up the 2007 Ex-Voto, but he is not yet sure the quality will be high enough as this must be a wine of great richness and complexity. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 91 –93
Guigal is not sure whether there will be a 2004 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc, but we did taste several barrels that may or may not be declassified into the regular Hermitage depending on how they evolve. It is a richer wine, intense, with hints of quince, pears, honeysuckle, and perhaps even white currants and flowers, but I get the distinct impression that Guigal will end up declassifying this into the regular Hermitage prior to bottling. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 91 –94
The 2004 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc was in a transitionary stage and Guigal told me he reserved the right to declassify it if it does not reach the desired potential. While not as concentrated or intense as the 2003, or his debut vintage, the 2001, it is a rich, full-bodied effort revealing notes of pineapples, roses, and licorice. Marcel and Philippe Guigal, never content to rest on their already impressive credentials, announced that in the future, they expect to release another single vineyard Cote Rotie from a 3.7 acre parcel in the Viria vineyard on the Cote Brune. The first vintage or two will probably be added to the Chateau d’Ampuis. If the potential turns out to be as exceptional as they believe, lovers of these great wines will have a fourth single vineyard Cote Rotie called Viria to contemplate. There are many admirable things about Marcel Guigal, but most significant is that he has been a qualitative locomotive that has brought attention to the Rhone Valley, and has raised the quality bar for the entire region. More importantly, he realizes that most consumers will have access only to his least expensive wines from the Cotes du Rhone, so he has made every effort to continue to increase the quality of both his white and red Cotes du Rhones. His Cotes du Rhone whites have jumped in quality as he has settled on a general blend of approximately 50% Viognier and the rest Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Grenache Blanc. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 90 –90
Coming from a freakishly hot vintage, this bottle of 2003 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc was clearly advanced and evolved aromatically, with a deeper gold color and mature notes of caramel, wood smoke, honeyed minerality and sautéed fruits. Possibly in a closed phase, or just evolved, it has an incredibly rich, unctuous and concentrated palate, so it’s in no danger of falling apart. I would opt to hold bottles for a few years, but if this phase continues, drink up.
Rating: 96 –96
The 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc is the quintessential white Hermitage, a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne with extraordinary honeyed licorice, quince, marmalade, and truffle notes, an unctuous texture, great purity and richness, and a profound mouthfeel and length. This is extraordinary wine and certainly one of the most profound dry whites I ever tasted. It seems to be set for an amazingly long life. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 96 –100
A candidate for perfection, the compelling 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc possesses off the charts richness, honeyed complexity, depth, and power that must be tasted to be believed. It should last for half a century. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 96 –96
Off the charts in terms of both aromatic and flavor intensity, the 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc offers a melted liqueur of licorice-like character intermixed with honeysuckle, white truffles, quince, and peaches. Full-bodied, unctuously-textured, and stunningly opulent and long, this fabulous wine was fashioned from 50-90-year old vines planted in Les Murets and l’Hermite. Marcel and Philippe Guigal, never content to rest on their already impressive credentials, announced that in the future, they expect to release another single vineyard Cote Rotie from a 3.7 acre parcel in the Viria vineyard on the Cote Brune. The first vintage or two will probably be added to the Chateau d’Ampuis. If the potential turns out to be as exceptional as they believe, lovers of these great wines will have a fourth single vineyard Cote Rotie called Viria to contemplate. There are many admirable things about Marcel Guigal, but most significant is that he has been a qualitative locomotive that has brought attention to the Rhone Valley, and has raised the quality bar for the entire region. More importantly, he realizes that most consumers will have access only to his least expensive wines from the Cotes du Rhone, so he has made every effort to continue to increase the quality of both his white and red Cotes du Rhones. His Cotes du Rhone whites have jumped in quality as he has settled on a general blend of approximately 50% Viognier and the rest Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Grenache Blanc. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 95 –95
The first vintage for the cuvee, the medium/light gold-hued 2001 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is gorgeous, with a classic, full-bodied, layered style and complex notes of smoked meats, truffle, buttered stone fruits and freshly crushed rocks. This is why you age Hermitage Blanc! It’s worth pointing out that this cuvee saw just 18 months in barrel as opposed to the 30 months the wine sees today. Still fresh and lively on the palate, it’s drinking at point, but I suspect will keep for another two decades.
Rating: 95 –97
A brilliant wine. A stunning nose of wild honey, apricot jam, passion fruit and candle wax. Superb definition with none of the blowsiness that mars many Viogniers. The palate has superb balance with complex, waxy fruits and a note that reminds me of custard creams. Wild honey coming through on the very long finish. Magnificent wine. Tasted November 2005.
Rating: 96 –96
A stunning effort, the 2001 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc is an 8,000-bottle cuvee produced from 50 and 90-year old vines in Les Murets and l’Ermite vineyards; it will only be made in the greatest vintages. Aged in 100% new oak for 18 months, it is a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne. This fabulous white Hermitage ranks alongside Chapoutier’s limited cuvees of Le Meal, l’Ermite, and l’Oree. Guigal’s 2001 Hermitage Ex-Voto offers up stupendous aromas of white peaches, truffles, quince, and a liqueur of stones. This amazing white should drink well young, yet last 2-3 decades. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153
Rating: 94 –94
Bright gold. Aromas of fresh pit fruits, orange marmalade, honey and pungent spices, with a smoky overtone. Lush and creamy in texture, offering mineral-drenched peach, pear and floral flavors and an exotic touch of candied licorice. Rich but lively, with outstanding finishing clarity and lingering smokiness.
Rating: 95 –95
(90% marsanne and 10% roussanne, aged in 100% new oak for 30 months): Vivid yellow-gold. Intense, incisive pear and nectarine aromas are brightened by chalky minerals and deepened by suggestions of beeswax, vanilla and iodine. Penetrating orchard fruit and honeydew flavors stain the palate, picking up bitter lemon zest and floral qualities with air. Turns firmer and spicier with air, finishing with outstanding lift, thrust and smoky persistence.
Rating: 95 –95
(aged for 30 months in all new oak barrels) Brilliant yellow. A powerful, seductively perfumed bouquet evokes poached pear, peach nectar, honey, smoky lees and sweet butter. Offers fleshy, palate-staining orchard and pit fruit and buttery brioche and honeysuckle flavors, plus a vanilla note that emerges stealthily on the back half. Finishes with superb focus and mineral-driven persistence, leaving a suave floral note behind.
Rating: 95 –96
Vivid straw-yellow. Highly perfumed scents of ripe pear, nectarine, lemon rind, honey and pungent flowers, with a smoky mineral overtone building steadily. Offers palate-staining orchard and pit fruit flavors that are complemented by suggestions of toasted nuts and vanilla. Weighty yet distinctly energetic as well, betraying no excess fat. Delivers emphatic mineral thrust and repeating florality on the strikingly long, penetrating finish, which leaves a suggestion of dried pear brandy behind.
L'Ermitage「Ex-Voto」白酒僅在特殊年份生產。它具有非常豐富的香氣和複雜性。鼻子中充滿了合歡花、蜂蜜和烤香的味道。