Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto 2005

Guigal’s Ermitage Ex Voto 2005 is a monumental red Hermitage from one of the Rhône Valley’s most revered producers. Crafted in a similarly powerful, ageworthy style to the acclaimed 2010, this 100% Syrah is a benchmark expression of the famed Hermitage hill. With its combination of intensity, precision, and extraordinary longevity, it’s a true collector’s wine that showcases the grandeur of Northern Rhône Syrah at its peak.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2005 Ermitage Ex Voto shows a deep, opaque ruby to nearly black core with a faint garnet rim just beginning to emerge, reflecting its slow evolution. The nose is strikingly complex and layered, bursting with dark berries—especially black raspberries and blackberries—wrapped in notes of licorice, roasted spices, charcoal, and a vivid, almost “burning” mineral character reminiscent of crushed rocks and hot stones. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, massive wine with incredible concentration and density, yet it remains beautifully focused rather than heavy. A wall of sweet, ripe tannin structures the wine, supporting intense flavors of black fruits, smoked meat, cracked pepper, graphite, and roasted herbs. The finish is pure, long, and classically dry, with that hallmark Hermitage minerality echoing long after each sip. Still youthful and powerful, this 2005 is only beginning to show its potential; with proper cellaring it has an aging horizon of at least 30–40+ years from vintage, and it is only just entering its prime.

Production
Ermitage Ex Voto is sourced from some of Hermitage’s finest, steeply sloped granite parcels, where old-vine Syrah digs deep into poor, stony soils, yielding naturally low quantities of intensely flavored grapes. The 2005 vintage offered excellent conditions for ripe, healthy fruit, which Guigal harvested by hand to ensure only perfect bunches were selected. In the cellar, the must is traditionally vinified with long maceration to extract color, structure, and aromatic complexity, followed by extended maturation in oak barrels, including a significant proportion of new oak. This patient élevage polishes the formidable tannins and integrates the oak, allowing the wine’s profound mineral core and classic Hermitage character to shine through over time.

Food & Serving
This powerful Hermitage calls for richly flavored, robust dishes: think roasted or grilled lamb, slow-braised beef or venison, game birds with truffle, or dishes featuring wild mushrooms and roasted root vegetables. It also pairs beautifully with aged hard cheeses like Comté or mature Gouda. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to allow the aromatics and texture to fully express themselves. In its youth and middle age, decanting for 2–3 hours is strongly recommended to soften the tannins and open up the layered bouquet; even with some bottle age, a gentle decant can help remove sediment and let the wine unfurl.

Producer
Founded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal in Ampuis, Maison Guigal has grown into one of the Rhône Valley’s most influential and respected estates, now led by the second and third generations of the family. While renowned for their benchmark Côte-Rôties and broad Rhône portfolio, Guigal’s top Hermitage wines—like Ermitage Ex Voto—are among the region’s most sought-after bottlings. Their meticulous vineyard selection, rigorous yield control, and uncompromising élevage have helped set the modern quality standard in the Northern Rhône, earning the domaine numerous high scores and a global reputation for producing some of the world’s greatest Syrah-based wines.

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