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Wednesday, December 6, 2023 - Rich and oily texture, with an undertone of salty minerality too. Thanks for kindly sharing this with us DQ, as far as I remember no one even came close to figuring out what this was. Certainly not Napa, oops!

2005 was a hot, and very dry season in northern Rhône. This led to intensely concentrated wines for long-term ageing. This is an amazing 100% Syrah, with average age of vines of between 40 to 90 years. Ageing, 42 months in new oak.

Appearance: Dark ruby colour with purplish tints.
Nose: Blue fruit aromas, then black fruits, worn leather, and liquorice too.

Palate: Deep intensity highlighted with coffee, dark chocolate, and herbal notes. The oak evolves so beautifully and it really seems like it softens as it picks up more air each half hour.
Tannins: Structured, but so very fine.
Acid: Medium ++

The names of these parcels are to be conjured with, including L’Hermite, where the famed La Chapelle is situated, and adjacent Les Bessards. Greffieux is at the bottom of the south-facing slope (separated from L’Hermite by another famous parcel, Le Méal), with Les Murets round to the east, a little. Ex Voto, made solely from syrah, comes from these parcels.

The granite soils of Les Bessards make up 30% of the blend. Such granite-derived fruit typically forms the backbone of an Hermitage blend. This creates a big and structured wine.

Another 30% comes from the brown limestome-derived soils of Greffieux, with 20% each coming from L’Hermite which can bring freshness (and minerality), and fragrance to Syrah fruit and Les Murets, a patch of Alpine glacial river origin stones and clay (Provides finesse).

In addition, the Guigal parcels have a high proportion of old vines, some up to 90 years. The power and the body of the Ermitage Ex-Voto is linked to its nature and its age.

The name Ex Voto derives from the Latin, meaning a promise, or offering, made to the gods. It was first made in 2001. As this is the 2005, this makes it only the third ever vintage ever produced.

The purchase by Guigal of the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat and of de Vallouit, both in that year, brought some of these highly-prized parcels under the Guigal aegis.

Philippe Guigal had once said “for the first time, in 2001, we were able to vinify wines from our own estate [in Hermitage]. The quality of these wines was so outstanding that we didn’t have the courage to blend them into our classic Hermitage made from purchased grapes and purchased wines. This is how the Ex-Voto was born!”

L’Ermitage « Ex-Voto » is both a concentrated as well as elegant wine. It is really expensive at USD 350-400, and as it is only produced in exceptional vintages, this makes it rare as well. Only 700-900 cases produced each year.

Dinner at La Sense with TC, joined by ET, LMC and SKT too.

6th Dec 2023
Damansara Kim, Malaysia

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