2020 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage 750 ml

We don’t revere Rhône icon E. Guigal for their priceless reds alone. We love them because everything they bottle—from their $400+ La Las to their modest Côtes-du-Rhônes—leaves us marveling at how they do what they do so well.

Their 2020 Crozes-Hermitage is a perfect example.

Grown on hilly terrain in Crozes-Hermitage—which we think of as the Hermitage AOC’s overachieving neighbor—it’s got power. It’s got impeccable balance, too. It’s got the myriad savory elements that make Northern Rhône Syrah some of the most distinctive and sought-after red wine in the world.

It’s hard to sum up just how influential the Guigal name has become in the Rhône Valley over the course of just three generations. But there’s no disputing that Marcel Guigal and his son Philippe—who “consistently fashion some of the greatest wines in the world,” according to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate—have cemented their place in the Rhône pantheon.

The grapes in this Guigal bottling come from 36-year-old vines planted on low-yielding hillside vineyards heavy in limestone, clay, silt, and sandy gravel. After 18 months in oak barrels (produced at Guigal’s own cooperage) and another year in bottle, the wine shows an inky shade of deep purple. On the nose, it’s got warmed blackberries, fresh cracked pepper, and lavender. Broad and rich in mouthfeel, the palate is framed by fresh, sapid tannins that carry notes of garrigue, smoked game, and abundant blackberry and blueberry fruits.

Like the Hermitage reds with which it shares a name, Guigal’s Crozes-Hermitage delivers the quintessence of the Northern Rhône style. It’s a wine we pack into our own cellars every year, and we’re proud to bring it to you.