E. Guigal : Hermitage 2020

A seductive, ripe wine, with mulled plum and baked cherry flavors enveloped by smoldering incense, warm earth and toasted alder. Gains an ample frame from softened tannins, while menthol and juniper notes provide a refreshing, spicy edge. Reveals mocha and smoked bacon accents that draw out the finish, which has good tension and length. Drink now through 2032. 2,500 cases made, 100 cases imported.

Complex nose of pomegranates, summer flowers and sweet black berries. A very rich wine with a roasted character and fruit that's almost overripe. However, the generous and healthy tannins keep this on track right through the long finish. Matured in 50% new oak and 50% used small barrels for two years. Drink or hold.

The classic 2020 Hermitage delights with ripe red and black fruits, licorice, cedar, pipe tobacco and meaty undertones. Full-bodied and layered, the 2020 presents a savory expression marked by a firm tannic structure. It ends with persistence on the complex finish.

The 2020 Hermitage is pure class, with textbook smoky red and black fruits, some violet and leather nuances, medium body, fine tannins, and just terrific overall balance. It has tons to love and, like many in the vintage, already has some up-front appeal and charm. I still would give bottles just 3-4 years if you can and expect this to have 20 years of overall longevity.

The 2020 Hermitage from Maison E. Guigal opens with a deep, complex bouquet of tobacco leaf, baked dark berries, gentian, spices and subtle oak. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it’s powerful and concentrated, with a ripe, sun-warmed profile that concludes with a long, resonant and gently spicy finish. Keep it over the next 15–20 years.