2013 Hermitage
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Tasting notes
The two Hermitage releases are also terrific. The 2013 Hermitage offers full-bodied richness and depth as well as textbook dark fruits, caramelized meat, and bacon fat aromatics. It has a great mid-palate, ripe tannin, and a big finish, and is well worth checking out. Due to the timing of my visit (which was earlier than normal), I wasn’t able to taste a full lineup from Guigal. Nevertheless, even an abbreviated lineup from Guigal consists of more wines than just about every other producer I taste with. Looking at the 2016s, the white wines, especially from Condrieu, are brilliant and show the more fresh, vibrant style of this cooler, late vintage. The reds are very classic in style across the board. I’ll taste these again, mostly from barrel, next year as well, but this is certainly an excellent vintage. The 2015s, as I’ve written more than once now, are truly spectacular, and after tasting these wines multiple times from barrel now, I completely understand why Marcel Guigal would declare this the greatest vintage of his lifetime. These are rich, voluptuous, massive wines I think will represent a modern-day version of 1978. The 2014s continue to improve every time I taste them, which is common for this estate. Similar, perhaps, to a toned down 2012, these are charming, supple, elegant wines that are vastly more approachable than the 2013s. Lastly, the 2013s from bottle showed the backward, dark, mineral-laced profile of the vintage. They’re beautifully concentrated and terrific wines, yet the cellar is going to be your friend.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Guigal’s 2013 Hermitage is a solid effort in a tough year. It’s medium to full-bodied, not that concentrated or rich but boasts attractive notes of leather, cedar and cherry. It should be consumed over the next decade or so.
Strong smoke and toast aromas, black cherry and sweet spice, with a long and expressive oak-influenced finish. Firmly structured, muscular and dry. (RH)
95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne. Honey, ginger, mixed peel – already open and developing bottle complexity. This also manifests itself in a slightly oxidative bruised-fruit character, which may be in keeping with the Hermitage style, but might be a risk for longer-term ageing. For drinking right now, however, it is authentic and tasty. (RH)