E. Guigal : Hermitage 2020

A solid, creamy and textured white mainly from marsanne. It has notes of spiced apples, dried lemons, dried herbs, cedar and mild spices. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture. Well balanced and supple for the appellation, with more baked lemons on the finish. Drink or hold.

The well-balanced 2020 Hermitage Blanc displays fragrant lemon peel, yellow apple, white peach and honeysuckle aromatics. Brioche and melon add more layers. Medium- to full-bodied and concentrated, the rock-solid 2020 Hermitage Blanc trumps the 2021 and is on par with the equally enchanting 2018 and 2019 vintages.

Every bit as good, if not better, from bottle than barrel, the 2020 Hermitage Blanc has textbook aromas and flavors of white flowers, quince, honeysuckle, and a kiss of salty, chalky minerality. It's full-bodied and has beautiful richness, a layered, mouth-filling texture, and a gorgeous finish. Readers looking for a brilliant Hermitage Blanc that has classic aromas and flavors should buy a case of this. I love it even today, yet I'd give bottles a few years and enjoy over the following decade or more.