E. Guigal Hermitage Ex-Voto Blanc 2019

In Short

A Marsanne and Roussanne blend from France's most prestigious white Hermitage site, offering stone fruit, hazelnut, and mineral depth that will age gracefully for a decade.

Quick Facts

• Region: Hermitage, Rhône Valley, France
• Variety: Marsanne, Roussanne
• Style: Full-bodied white
• Best For: Special occasions, cellar aging

Why We Stock It

Guigal's Hermitage Ex-Voto is among the finest dry white wines made anywhere, and the 2019 vintage is drinking beautifully now while capable of developing for fifteen years. We stock it because collectors and serious drinkers understand that top-tier Hermitage blanc offers complexity and aging potential that few other whites can match at any price. This wine rewards patience but also opens enough today to justify the investment.

Tasting Profile

A layered white with the weight and precision that define the greatest Hermitage blancs.

• Aroma: White flowers, hazelnut, citrus, mineral
• Palate: Stone fruit, honey, toasted almond, creamy texture, crisp acidity
• Structure & Finish: Full body, long and refined finish with white peach and flinty minerality

Winemaking

A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and oak to preserve freshness while building complexity. The exact proportions and aging protocol reflect Guigal's house style of balancing fruit expression with mineral precision.

Serving & Pairing

Serve at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit; no decanting required. Pair it with roasted or butter-poached white fish, sole meunière, lobster bisque, or creamy chicken dishes where the wine's richness and acidity work together. The minerality also suits simply prepared seafood like oysters or scallops, where its depth becomes a counterpoint rather than an accompaniment.

The Estate

E. Guigal is a family-run negociant and grower based in Ampuis, in the northern Rhône. The house sources and produces wines across the region, with a particular focus on Syrah and the white varieties of Hermitage and Condrieu, building its reputation on precision winemaking and the ability to age their wines for decades.

Terroir

Hermitage sits on the left bank of the Rhône north of Valence, where steep granite and schist hillsides face south and south-east, catching intense summer heat. The soils are decomposed granite with pockets of flint, which lend the wines their characteristic mineral character. Cool nights and the river's moderating influence preserve acidity, resulting in whites with both power and freshness.