2015 E. Guigal Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Inky ruby. Pungent, mineral-tinged aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, candied violet and olive paste pick up a peppery element as the wine stretches out. Densely packed and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry, blueberry, fruitcake and black cardamom flavors that slowly turn sweeter on the back half. Tightens up on the impressively long finish, which features chewy tannins and a whiplash of smoke-accented bitter cherry. This wine is extremely youthful and I'm not sure that decanting will make much of a difference now.
Critic scores
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Aged for two years in two-year-old barrels. 95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne. Leesy, wheaty nose with some coriander aromas and sweet spice. Fat texture with a touch of oxidation on the finish. Lovely start, but the finish seems a little off-colour. (RH)
The 2015 Hermitage is a rocking wine that does everything right. Boasting a saturated purple color, a great nose of blackberries, ground herbs, tapenade, and liquid violets, full body, and a layered, powerful style, it’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and will drink beautifully over the following 10-15 years. The big news at the Guigal estate is the purchase of Domaine de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The family has always wanted an estate in the South, and Nalys is an unrealized treasure trove of awesome terroir and old vines, both of which I’ve no doubt will be maximized by this talented family. In addition, the former winemaker at Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Jacques Desvernois, has joined the team, and while it’s not clear exactly what his role will be, I suspect he will largely lead the charge at Domaine de Nalys. Either way, Desvernois is an incredible talent and can only add to what is already a well-oiled machine. As to the wines reviewed in this report, I was able to taste multiple vintages of each of the cuvées and have listed the wines by cuvée as opposed to by vintage, which is how we tasted through the wines.
Very spicy and rich on the nose and palate, and has the fine but insistent tannins of Hermitage, though perhaps not enough of the complexity and character. Even so, it is a clear step up in terms of build from the St-Joseph. (RH)