2003 E. Guigal Hermitage
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Tasting notes
The 2003 Hermitage is a beauty that shows the best of this extreme, freakishly hot vintage. Full-bodied, plump, textured and concentrated, it offers ample plums, violets, barbecued meats, licorice and a touch of mint. The tannin showed a touch of worrisome rusticity at first, but this was quickly covered up by masses of sweet fruit and texture as the wine sat in the glass. I'd drink bottles over the coming decade, and assuming its tannin stays nicely balanced and sweet, it will hold for even longer.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Ruby-red. Fresh raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a suave floral quality adding complexity. Seemed to gain freshness with air, the fruit picking up zesty minerality and sexy baking spices. Undeniably rich but this possesses uncanny elegance and vivacity for an Hermitage, much less one from this hot vintage.
Honeyed aromas, deep gold. Impressively lively. Very, very full but a little bit loose. (JR)