E. Guigal : Ex Voto 2018 white

The last time I saw the 2018 Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc, it came across as opulent and fruit-forward. Now that it's in bottle (and scheduled to be released in February 2022), it's less tropical, showing more restraint and (perhaps) greater aging potential. Hints of toasted grain, lime custard and scorched lemon zest appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is rich, delivering notes of toasted marshmallow and a heavily textured, slightly coarse texture, but finishes long.

The nose is complex and luxurious, with white peach, toasted almond, honeyed pastry, honeycomb, white pepper spice and delicate florals. The palate is richly layered, where ripe peach is wrapped in fine vanilla. A natural match for Comté, or roast chicken with buttery aligot.

Full-bodied and rounded, with firm acidity and salinity. The oak has taken over at this early stage and will always be quite dominant, however the fruit is deep and should harmonise with the wood in time. Very long and ending with butterscotch and quince, the élevage will always be a strong feature of the wine, but the depth is there for long ageing. For release in 2022. 100% new oak barriques.

A lovely perfumed nose of flint, grilled lemons, hay and pears. Full-bodied with silky texture. Deep and layered. Baked citrus and toasted garden herbs with some lovely notes of beeswax and sliced almond. Succulent. It keeps going. Terrific. Drink or hold.

Absolute perfection in dry white wine, the 2018 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc comes from two parcels on Hermitage (Les Murets and L'Ermite) and, I believe, spent 30 months or more in new French oak. This heavenly effort offers an off-the-charts array of quince and stone fruits as well as subtle brioche, white flowers, spice, and orange blossom-like nuances, with just a hint of its classy background oak present. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it's massive, concentrated, and powerful, yet seamless and flawlessly balanced, with no hard edges, perfect integration of its acidity and oak, and a great, great finish. Dry white wine doesn't get any better.

More ambitious and also fuller-bodied than the other Hermitage, with a superb texture that is both elegant and enveloping. The oak is a little pronounced today, but it will integrate with ageing. A real success for this cuvée.