E. Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge 2017 750ml

As with the base Hermitage, the 2017 Ermitage Ex Voto shows the sunny, perfumed personality of the vintage and has so much to love. Offering classic Hermitage notes of cassis and assorted red and black fruits as well as notes of graphite, burning embers, and smoke, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, that sense of classiness and regalness that’s rare to find outside of Hermitage, incredible mid-palate density, and a great finish. It will be interesting to see if the 2017s shut down, but as of right now, this is unquestionably expressive and enjoyable. It should benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 2-3 decades.

• Country: France
• Region: Rhone Valley
• Appellation: Hermitage
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red
• Alcohol by Vol: 14.5%

Varietal

Syrah

Known as Syrah in most countries around the world, and Shiraz in Australia and certain other regions of the New World, this grape varietal has proven over the centuries to be one of the most powerful and flavorful red wine grapes there is. It is now one of the planet’s most widely grown grapes, and is a favorite with wineries as a result of its robustness and versatility. It isn’t easy to identify many characteristics of this particular varietal, due to the fact that it is highly versatile and shows significant differences in flavor and character depending on the terroir it is grown in, and the climatic conditions of the region. However, Syrah is most widely associated with full bodied, strong and loud red wines, packed full of fruity and spicy flavors, held in a beautifully deep red liquid.