2015 Guigal - Hermitage Blanc
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Tasting notes
Light yellow-gold. Expressive, mineral-accented orchard and pit fruits on the highly perfumed nose; suave jasmine and lemon curd nuances build in the glass. Shows excellent depth as well as energy to the sappy, mineral-accented tangerine, yellow plum and honey flavors. The floral element repeats strongly on the zesty, sharply focused finish, which is sweetened by a subtle marzipan accent.
Critic scores
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Hermitage Blanc showed beautifully. From a number of lieux-dits (Beaume, Péleat, and Rocoules to name a few) and 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, it has a crisp, mineral-laced style in its exotic aromas and flavors. With building richness and depth, a stacked mid-palate, and a big finish, drink it anytime over the coming 10-15 years. At this quality level, it should represent a terrific value. 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.
Released just prior to my early November visit, the 2015 Hermitage Blanc features aromas of flamed orange zest (the wine is fermented in second-fill barriques, then ages in them for close to two years). It’s full-bodied and rich, with a gorgeous silky texture, but it's also tight and firm, showing significant aging potential.
Released just prior to my early November visit, the 2015 Hermitage Blanc features aromas of flamed orange zest (the wine is fermented in second-fill barriques, then ages in them for close to two years). It’s full-bodied and rich, with a gorgeous silky texture, but it's also tight and firm, showing significant aging potential. Dec 2017, www.robertparker.com