E. Guigal Hermitage Blanc

A charming floral wine filled with aromas of white flowers and acacia honey. It has great ageing potential.

Winemaker notes

Eye : Consistent straw yellow.

Nose : Complex nose with dominant floral vegetal notes and acacia honey. Elegant and delicate oak.

Palate : Spicy with good structure. A wine for ageing.

Overall : Overall balance and with deep complex aromas characteristic of these rare white wines.

2018

Wine Advocate 92: Full-bodied and expansive on the palate, Guigal's 2018 Hermitage Blanc exhibits scents of toasted marshmallow, grilled pear, candied citrus and fennel fronds. Round and mouthfilling, it may be drunk now with considerable pleasure for its weight and sheer lusciousness, but lovers of aged Rhône whites will want to set aside a bottle or two for 10 years or so.

James Suckling 93: Aromas of flint, lemongrass, white smoke and dried lemon. Medium-to full-bodied with lots of depth and complexity. Mineral and herbal with a smoky finish. Lovely now, but this will age. 95% marsanne, 5% roussanne. Drink or hold.

2019

Wine Advocate 90-92: Guigal's 2019 Hermitage Blanc features assertive notes of toasted grain, grilled pineapple and ripe melon on the nose. Sourced from Beaumes, Murets, Dionnières and Pierrelles, it's medium to full-bodied, but it seems—at least at this stage—to show a touch of warmth on the finish.

James Suckling 93: Not for the faint-hearted, this has lots of beeswax and candied orange in the nose, also notes of toast and vanilla. A bold, rich and weighty white Hermitage, but the fine tannins support this expansiveness very well. A cuvee of 95% marsanne and 5% roussanne. 50% new oak and 50% used barrels for two years. Drink or hold.

Vinous 92: Lemon peel, ripe pear, dried blossom, cedar and melon nuances introduce the classy 2019 Hermitage Blanc. Offering a medium body and refreshing acidity, it leaves a slightly saline aftertaste on the sapid finale.

Decanter 90: Apple and pear aromas with a touch of florality. It's full-bodied, rich and silky on the palate, but the acidity is well balanced. There's a good sense of precision here, it's well made; but drink soon. From 25-year-old vines grown on clay, silt, sand and gravel; aged for 12 months partly in barrels before release.