The first vintage and from the Guigal's plots in Bessard, l'Hermite, Greffieux and les Murets, 2001 Hermitage Ex Voto is a classic, focused, age-worthy Hermitage that possesses a still youthful, inky color as well as tons of cassis, olive tapenade, smoked earth and leather. Big, beefy, full-bodied and massively concentrated, with high acidity and tannin, it's still a baby that needs 3-4 more years of cellaring. It will have 40 years or more of overall longevity.

The debut release of the Hermitage Ex-Voto, the spectacular 2001 spent 42 months in new French oak. Produced from four vineyard sites, l’Hermite, Les Murets, Les Greffieux, and Les Bessards, it boasts an amazingly thick purple color as well as a rich, sumptuous bouquet of smoke, licorice, creme de cassis, and earth. Full-bodied and rich, with good acidity and magnificent concentration, this is a tour de force in red Hermitage. Given its high tannin and crisp acidity, it will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153