2003 Hermitage Blanc Ex Voto
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Tasting notes
Coming from a freakishly hot vintage, this bottle of 2003 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc was clearly advanced and evolved aromatically, with a deeper gold color and mature notes of caramel, wood smoke, honeyed minerality and sautéed fruits. Possibly in a closed phase, or just evolved, it has an incredibly rich, unctuous and concentrated palate, so it’s in no danger of falling apart. I would opt to hold bottles for a few years, but if this phase continues, drink up.
Critic scores
Average Score
The Wine Advocate
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Medium gold. Incredibly complex bouquet of yellow plum, dried apricot, peach, floral honey, yellow Chartreuse, blonde tobacco and anise (among other things). Deeply concentrated and almost surreal in its expression of honeyed, ripe and dried fruits; its sappy, clinging texture; and its powerful impression of extract. The endless finish is surprisingly bright, with no tiring or cloying qualities. This should be served in homeopathic doses, such is its intensity and depth of flavor.
Very rich, waxy aromas of apricot, honey, smoked nuts and camphor. Offers compelling pear and apricot fruit, with superb framing acidity for the vintage contributing shape and structure. Offers outstanding chewiness and solidity, and finishes with superb length and spice. This fruit was harvested on August 22 with 15. 5% potential alcohol! A great white Hermitage in the making.
The 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto blanc is the quintessential white Hermitage, a blend of 95 Marsanne and 5 Roussanne with extraordinary honeyed licorice, quince, marmalade, and truffle notes, an unctuous texture, great purity and richness, and a profound mouthfeel and length. This is extraordinary wine and certainly one of the most profound dry whites I ever tasted. It seems to be set for an amazingly long life. 96+