2011 E. Guigal Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Impressive, aristocratic nose where sweet oak and ripe fruit combines nicely. Lovely piquant spice with a certain earth and milk chocolate complexity developing. A lovely example of the style, made in an accessible style for relatively early drinking. (RH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
(aged in 50% new oak barrels for three years): Opaque ruby. Smoke- and black pepper-accented dark berries, licorice and olive on the deeply perfumed, expansive nose. Gently sweet black and blue fruit flavors become livelier and spicier with air, picking up suggestions of black cardamom and cola. Sappy, penetrating and smoky on the tenacious finish, which features building tannins and resonating floral and peppery spice qualities.
Showing even better than last year, the 2011 Hermitage shows the more exuberant, sexy and sunny nature of the vintage to a T. Toasted bread, vanilla bean, black raspberries and spiced meat-like aromas all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, forward, seamless beauty that will deliver tons of pleasure over the coming 15 or more years.
They bought grapes and vinified themselves. Market seems to prefer Condrieu. Shame! Rich. Hint of coffee grains on the nose. The honeysuckle. Round with some green streaks. Still very embryonic but very complex. (JR)