Hermitage Wines

wines

Surprisingly, I preferred the 2011 Ermitage le Meal Blanc over the 2012 on this occasion and it showed a more flamboyant, sexy style in its caramelized pineapple, tropical, honeyed and floral personality. Big, rich and decadent, with fabulous fruit intensity and length, this rock star flirts with perfection and will keep for another 3-4 decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPVivid gold. Heady orchard and pit fruit aromas are complicated by anise, buttered toast and iodine, with a sexy floral nuance emerging with aeration. Fleshy and deeply pitched, offering wonderfully concentrated pear, nectarine and melon flavors and a zesty jolt of orange pith on the back half. Closes with superb energy and a very persistent honeydew note. I’d love to try this superb wine alongside some heavy-hitters from the Cote d’Or.Vinous Media | 94 VMA matchstick hint gives way to creamed apple, melon, heather and salted butter notes. Offers weight, depth and definition, opening up pleasantly in the glass. The long finish has a creamy feel. Drink now through 2022. 27 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Another perfect wine is the 2015 Ermitage le Meal Blanc. The most decadent, unctuous and layered in the lineup, with to-die-for notes of white currants, toasted nuts, celery seed and licorice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a huge mid-palate and a refreshing, pure, yet blockbuster finish that just won’t quit. If I had to pick a desert island white, this might be it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPLovely, featuring waves of Jonagold apple, mirabelle plum, lemon curd and white peach flavors, all gilded with hints of honeysuckle, verbena and jasmine. Shows terrific range, with superior detail through the finish and lingering minerality adding length. Drink now through 2030. 636 cases made, 29 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLurid yellow-gold. Penetrating aromas of ripe, mineral-accented citrus and pit fruits are complicated by hints of chalky minerals, saffron and chamomile. Juicy, smoky and deeply concentrated but lithe on the palate, offering densely packed peach nectar, pear liqueur, Meyer lemon and buttered toast flavors that show superb drive and focus. The mineral note repeats emphatically on the incisive, smoke-laced finish, which lingers with outstanding persistence.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is dressed to impress with fresh oak framing up fragrant, ripe and slightly tarry black-fruit and cassis aromas. Pepper and graphite, too. The palate is superbly weighted, showing a classic interplay of elegance and power. Deeply succulent blackberries and black cherries snap fresh into the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 96 JS

Always one of the top Crozes-Hermitage out there (although the case could be made that it’s more Hermitage than Crozes), the 2018 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers has a liqueur of rocks-like character as well as gorgeous blue fruits, violets, earth, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. I’d unquestionably guess Hermitage in a blind lineup. This full-bodied beauty has a seamless texture, ample tannins, and a great finish. It’s pure class and the finest Crozes Hermitage out there in 2018. It’s a stunning value that readers should snatch up!Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDSumptuous cherries line the medium to full-bodied palate of the 2018 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers. Underneath—for the moment—are stony notes of granitic reserve, which I wouldn’t be surprised to see emerge even more with time. For now, this looks plush and fruity, but don’t be misled—there’s more here.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPGlistening ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, olive paste, mocha and potpourri; a smoky mineral element adds energetic lift. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering broad-shouldered bitter cherry, cassis, cola and candied violet flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Shows sharp focus and resonating smoke and spice notes on the penetrating finish, where dusty, slow-building tannins add gentle grip and focus. 25% new oak.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is really nicely packed with dark currant, cherry and blackberry fruit that has melded with alder, bay leaf and tar notes. Iron and sanguine details add range on the finish. Approachable, but will gain with some cellaring. Drink now through 2032. 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS