At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the 2010 Hermitage Ex Voto is as good as it gets. Following some of the most concentrated, rich Cote Roties ever made, it still ratcheted up the concentration level with its massive, palate saturating levels of gamey dark fruits, cassis, licorice, chocolate, graphite and powdered rock. It this beauty doesn’t make fireworks go off in your head, I don’t know what will. Full-bodied, deeply concentrated and structured, yet also fine, elegant and delineated, it is nothing short of incredible. Give this awesome Hermitage 5-6 years in the cellar and feel free to drink it anytime over the following 4-5 decades. 

The father/son team of Marcel and Philippe Guigal continue to keep their estate at the top of the hierarchy in the Rhône Valley. All the way from their inexpensive Côtes du Rhône to their top-end Côte Rôties and Hermtiage, the attention to detail and focus on quality is unmatched. Readers should also check out the recent Rhone Retrospective article I wrote that covered the Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospices, Côte Rôtie Brune et Blonde, Côte Rôtie Chateau d´Ampuis and Côte Rôtie La Mouline cuvees going back for over a decade. I said it there, and I´ll say it again here, this estate is producing some of the most incredible and singular wines in the world.

Score: 100 Robert Parker (RP), The Wine Advocate (WA), December 2014