The 2017 Hermitage Ex Voto shows the sunny, sexy side of the vintage yet backs it up with a dense, concentrated style. Ripe black fruits, smoked earth, toasted bread, and exotic spice all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, structured, and powerful on the palate. Like most 2017s, it’s going to have some early accessibility due to the wealth of fruit, yet it’s going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age.

Exotic, this ripples with warm, well-steeped boysenberry, blackberry and fig fruit flavors infused with notes of dark tea, singed alder and juniper and wild herbs. All the components move in lockstep, and there are lots of components between the fruit, aromatics and extroverted oak treatment, as well as the serious tug of dark earth at the very end, all wrapped in a cashmere texture. Best from 2025 through 2040. 300 cases made, 60 cases imported.

There was no 2016 Ex Voto bottled, as the sample lots ended up being blended into the regular bottling. Guigal's 2017 Ermitage Ex Voto looks to be another solid effort, more red fruited than the 2015, with raspberry and cherry fruit accented by hints of licorice and peppery spice. It's full-bodied and expansive but firm, with dusty tannins on the long finish.