E. Guigal

Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge 2015

Hermitage

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Ermitage Ex-Voto represents the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Marcel Guigal’s to own vineyard land on the hill of Hermitage. Through the purchase of the de Vallouit and J. L. Grippat domaines in 2000, Guigal acquired four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site. The 2001 vintage was the first release of this estate-bottled Hermitage red and white. The quality of the intense old-vine fruit is quite special, but given the Guigal’s already strong work in Hermitage, they decided to only release an Ex-Voto red or white when the wine is utterly exceptional and clearly superior to their appellation bottlings.

VINEYARD

This 100% Syrah wine, produced from hillside fruit, represents the best of the appellation. The Guigals own four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site featuring intense, old-vine fruit. The grapes come from four steepsloped vineyards: Bessards (30%), Greffieux (30%), L’Hermite (20%), and Murets (20%). The vines at these sites average 50-90 years in age, and the soil types range from clay to granite to alluvial.

WINEMAKING

The 100% Syrah wine undergoes a 4-week maceration and pump-overs, followed by extended barrel aging for 40 months in new French oak. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, creating a wine that represents the pinnacle of the appellation, with exceptional concentration and great potential longevity.

VINTAGE

When Marcel Guigal called 2015 “the vintage of a lifetime and on par with 1929, 1947 and 1961,” the anticipation while Guigal carried out their customary extended aging was almost too much to bear. From a vintage nearly as perfect as you could get, from vine dormancy right through harvest, the wines are spellbinding, with an utterly perfect balance of charm, complexity, and power.

Replenishing rain in the winter restored the water tables to supply the plants with nutrients, and then abundant sunshine and warmth helped the vines mature the berries to perfection as the generous diurnal shift maintained the acidity and freshness of the fruit. To buy, drink, age and, above all, enjoy as often as possible!

TASTING NOTE

Deep dark ruby colour with mauve tints. The nose opens to black fruits, leather, liquorice, coffee flavour and oriental spices. The palate begins with a powerful attack with richness and an important tannic structure. This wine expression fully the terroir trough its finesse and the strength of its tannins. Overally, a wine with great ageing potential, structured and concentrated with a rare intensity of flavour and colour.

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Syrah

Appellation

Hermitage

Farming

Guigal uses only environmentally sustainable methods of pest, disease and weed control. They work to conserve biological diversity, water resources, soils and ecosystems on their land. Packaging materials are recyclable or biodegradable. Lastly, they are committed to achieving a zero waste target.

Alcohol

14%

Suggested Retail Price

$525

Reviews

"Extremely impressive and succulent"

James Suckling - April 14, 2021 "This is a very powerful, sweetly spiced and complex Hermitage with hung meat and very ripe dark berries, delivered amid iodine and dark stones, as well as a core of rich mulberries and blackberries. The palate has an extremely impressive and succulent feel with such intensity and deeply ripe, long, plush tannins. Gossamer smooth finish and long, rich dark-plum flavors. Best from 2025."

"Spicy, cedary and firm"

Wine Advocate - April 14, 2021 "Spicy, cedary and firm, the 2015 Ermitage Ex Voto is built tough, like the granite it comes from. Hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone accent mixed red and black fruit, picking up hints of licorice and pepper on the long, tannic finish. Give this another 5-6 years in the cellar, then drink it over the following decade and a half or so."

"Richness and vivacity"

Vinous - April 14, 2021 "Deep, glass-staining ruby. Deep-pitched aromas of cherry liqueur, blackberry, fruitcake and incense on the highly perfumed nose. Stains the palate with vibrant black and blue fruit liqueur, allspice and violet pastille flavors, enlivened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds with aeration. Shows a suave blend of richness and vivacity, and no rough edges. Spicy and expansive on the strikingly long, sappy finish, which features resonating dark berry character and youthfully chewy tannins."

"Rich, powerful, primordial"

Jeb Dunnuck (98+) - April 14, 2021 "The rich, powerful, primordial 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto isn’t for those seeking instant gratification and will need a solid decade of bottle age. Incredible notes of crème de cassis, liquid rocks, Asian spices, and toasted bread all emerge from this full-bodied, massively endowed effort. It will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades."

"Wrapped in a cashmere texture"

Wine Spectator - August 1, 2022 "Exotic, this ripples with warm, well-steeped boysenberry, blackberry and fig fruit flavors infused with notes of dark tea, singed alder and juniper and wild herbs. All the components move in lockstep, and there are lots of components between the fruit, aromatics and extroverted oak treatment, as well as the serious tug of dark earth at the very end, all wrapped in a cashmere texture."- JM

Trade Materials

Other Wines by this Producer

Saint Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice

Saint-Joseph

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Côte-Rôtie La Landonne

Côte-Rôtie

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Côte-Rôtie La Turque

Côte-Rôtie

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Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

Côte-Rôtie

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Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc

Hermitage

Ermitage Ex-Voto represents the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Marcel Guigal’s to own vineyard land on the hill of Hermitage. Through the purchase of the de Vallouit and J. L. Grippat domaines in 2000, Guigal acquired four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site. The 2001 vintage was the first release of this estate-bottled Hermitage red and white. The quality of the intense old-vine fruit is quite special, but given the Guigal’s already strong work in Hermitage, they decided to only release an Ex-Voto red or white when the wine is utterly exceptional and clearly superior to their appellation bottlings.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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Hermitage Blanc

Hermitage

Whites make up a small percentage of production in the Rhône, under 2%, but white wines are a little bit of a secret specialty at Guigal and today comprise 25% of their production. And for good reason, as the whites of the Northern Rhône are true discovery wines, immensely appealing and complex. They specifically display an expressiveness and brightness while also capturing the warmth of the area. Even more of a discovery is Hermitage Blanc, one of the least-known yet most intriguing wines of the Rhône Valley and in the small 309 acre Hermitage AOC.

Hermitage

Hermitage

Hermitage is one of France’s most spectacular and famous appellations, producing small quantities of extraordinarily intense and ageworthy red wine and tiny amounts of dry white. The entire vineyard consists of 309 acres planted on a single granite hillside on the banks of the Rhône. The Hermitage Rouge is the example of a racy wine, that manages to remain seductive.

Condrieu La Doriane

Condrieu

La Doriane is a luxury cuvée of Condrieu that the Guigals have produced since the 1994 vintage. A great success since the first vintage, the wine always seems richly oaked and very fruity when young, transforming in 3-4 years into a seamlessly complex, aromatic and vibrant wine. La Doriane contradicts the accepted wisdom that Condrieu does not age well.