E Guigal Crozes Hermitage

E Guigal Crozes Hermitage is a red wine that comes from Rhone, France.

The varietal is 100% Syrah.

Being this my first review of a wine from Rhone, I had to do a little research.

What I learned was that Crozes-Hermitage is one of the major appellations of Northern Rhone.

E. Guigal is one of a few producers who own more than 10 acres of vineyards in that area.

From the tasting notes I was sent, I discovered that E. Guigal was founded in 1946.  It has been led since 1961 by Marcel Guigal, the son of the original founder.

Finally, this wine, Crozes-Hermitage was first produced in 1999 after an acquisition of low yielding, hillside vineyards by the firm.

E Guigal Crozes Hermitage Review

I tasted the 2013 vintage of this wine.

Sample received for review purposes.

Appearance

In the glass, this wine is purple in color and allows a good amount of light to shine through.

It’s a leggy red, with plenty of slow falling legs in the glass.

Aroma

On the nose, this wine gives you lots of spicy and aromatic red fruits.  I noted a bit of candy in there too.

I could smell the aroma from over a foot away from the glass.

It may have been the spice, but there was a decent burn in the nose from this wine.

E Guigal Crozes Hermitage alcohol content 13% by volume, per the bottle.

Taste

I could immediately tell this was a French wine.  It had the typical light and dry flavor characteristics found in many French reds.

I noted a bit of buttery oak and light, yet warm, red fruits.  I also sensed just the slightest hint of black olive.

The tasting notes called for “typical Syrah pepper,” however I found that to be well muted.  Honestly, I noted the pepper much more in the aroma then in the flavor.

I should note that I did notice more pepper at the bottom of my glass versus when first poured.

Mouthfeel and Tannins

Guigal Crozes-Hermitage is a dry wine.

Tannins are noticeable but also well balanced.  I noted them all over my palate.

Finish

I called the finish “medium to long” and it was carried more so by the tannins than the flavor.

I found a bit of bitterness in there as well.

Overall Opinion

Overall, I really enjoyed this lovely, medium bodied French red.

I found it to be very approachable and well balanced.

It reminded me how much I enjoy French reds and that I need to review more of them!

E Guigal Crozes Hermitage price $19.99.

Prefer white wines?  Then check out my review of E Guigal Crozes Hermitage Blanc.

Suggested Food Pairing

I would most definitely pair this wine with a baguette and an assortment of cheeses.  That pairing came to mind almost immediately after I had my first sip.

Maybe cliché for a French red, but there’s something to be said for that pairing.

If red meat suits you better, this wine would go great with a filet mignon, but not a rib eye.

An overly flavorful steak might just overpower this red.

Cheers and merci beacoup!