E. Guigal, Ermitage Ex-Voto 2020

E. Guigal’s Ermitage Ex-Voto is one of the northern Rhône’s most ambitious expressions of Syrah, produced only in exceptional vintages from carefully selected old vines on Hermitage’s finest slopes. The name, meaning “offering of gratitude,” reflects Guigal’s reverence for this historic appellation and its remarkably long-lived wines.

Tasting Notes
Deep and opaque in colour, the 2020 vintage displays intense aromas of blackberry, black cherry, violet and blueberry, followed by notes of cracked pepper, graphite, smoked meat, olive and finely integrated oak. On the palate, it is powerful yet composed, with concentrated dark fruit, mineral depth and a savoury character typical of great Hermitage Syrah. Firm, polished tannins and vibrant acidity provide structure, while the finish is exceptionally long and persistent. This is a wine built for extended cellaring. Although already impressive for its depth and precision, it should develop greater aromatic complexity over the next decade and can mature gracefully for 20–30 years or more under suitable conditions.

Production
The wine is made from old Syrah vines planted on the varied granite, stony and clay-influenced soils of Hermitage, with fruit sourced from some of the appellation’s most distinguished lieux-dits. Grapes are harvested by hand at low yields and carefully selected before vinification. Following a traditional fermentation designed to preserve concentration and structure, the wine is matured for an extended period in oak, including a significant proportion of new barrels, allowing its formidable fruit and tannins to integrate gradually.

Food & Serving
Serve at approximately 16–18°C after allowing the bottle to acclimatise. Decanting for two to three hours is recommended when serving the wine young, both to open its aromatic profile and to soften its powerful structure; older bottles should be decanted more gently to separate any sediment. Its richness and savoury depth pair beautifully with roast lamb, beef fillet, venison, wild boar, braised beef and mature hard cheeses.

Producer
Founded by Étienne Guigal in 1945, E. Guigal has become one of the Rhône Valley’s most influential négociant-éleveurs, renowned for producing outstanding wines from Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage and other major appellations. The house is particularly respected for its meticulous vineyard selection, long élevage and powerful yet age-worthy Rhône wines. Ermitage Ex-Voto represents Guigal’s prestige approach to Hermitage, combining the character of exceptional old-vine Syrah with the structure required for long-term cellaring.

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