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2012 Chapoutier - Ermitage L'Ermite

FRANCE / RHONE / HERMITAGE
abv 13.5%
  • 100 WA
  • 97 WS
  • 95 IWC
  • Variety
    Syrah
See all wines from M. Chapoutier
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SKU: 49913-2012
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  • Wine Advocate | Rating: 100

    Another wine that topped out on my scale, the 523-case 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite is as profound an Hermitage as you can find. Coming from the granite soils located around the Chapel on the top of Hermitage hill, it's always the most tight, backward and structured of the releases, even more so than the Pavillon, which always seems to have another layer of sweet fruit to me. The 2012 is deeper and richer than the 2011, yet as with most 2012s, it more approachable and forward than the 2010 (and 2009 in this case). Exhibiting awesome notes of powdered rock, creme de cassis, liquid violets and lite gunpowder, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome mid-palate depth and building, ultra-fine tannin that frame the finish. It's an incredible wine that will won't start to become approachable until a decade after the vintage, and then will keep for three decades.
    Author: Jeb Dunnuck

  • International Wine Cellar | Rating: 96

    Inky purple. An explosively perfumed bouquet evokes dark berry compote, cherry-cola, candied licorice and potpourri. Lush, expansive blackberry and blueberry flavors show serious vivacity, with lively Asian spice and violet qualities emerging with air. Closes smoky and extremely long, with velvety tannins and lingering vanilla and floral nuances.
    Author: Josh Raynolds
    Issue: March/April 2014

  • Wine Spectator | Rating: 97

    This blazes along, with a riveting iron note running from start to finish, keeping the red currant, damson plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit racy and defined. Shows terrific cut through the finish, revealing extra tar and ganache hints for textural nuance. Very long.
    Author: James Molesworth
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    This firm, founded in 1808, is the proprietor of 175 key acres of vines in five Rhone Valley appellations. Since the retirement of Max Chapoutier in 1989, his son Michel has revamped the winemaking process, and in doing so has elevated the stature of Chapoutier wines to rival some of the greatest in the region. The firm farms its vineyards biodynamically, and believes in the concept of monocepage, or the idea that each wine is produced entirely from a single grape variety. Chapoutier believes that blending mutes, rather than enhances, the character he seeks from his wines. Today the Chapoutier wines are considered benchmarks for the region, and other producers have begun to borrow the techniques and practices that Michel has been perfecting for nearly two decades. Perhaps Robert Parker, in his monumental book The World's Greatest Wine Estates, sums up the Chapoutier firm best: "A true biodynamically run estate since 1989, the objective has been to produce the purest and most natural expressions of terroir possible. Every decision is based on enhancing the characteristics of a wine's terroir, varietal character, and vintage trademark. In short, it is the earth that inspires this firm."

    See other similar producers:E. Guigal,Domaine Charvin
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    Syrah is one of the darkest and thickest-skinned varieties, producing wines with intense color, flavors of blueberry, blackberry and boysenberry, and high tannin. Depending on the climate in which it is grown and the winemaking techniques used, Syrah (known as Shiraz in Australia) can come in a wide range of styles. Regardless of style, use of heavy oak is common and the highest quality wines are suitable for long-term ageing.

    The best Old-World Syrah comes from the Northern Rhône, where the variety is at its coolest limit for growth. Sites with south-facing slopes are exposed to more sun and produce the highest quality wines with medium body and flavors of berry, hints of pepper and mint, and notes of olive, bacon, meat, and leather with age. Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage are the most famous of these sites, and producers such as E. Guigal, Chave, and Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné make some of the world’s best wines from Syrah.

    In the New World, Australia is the most famous region for high-quality wines from Shiraz. The warm climates of Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale produce full-bodied, intensely fruity wines displaying notes of earth and spice and developing leather with age. A leaner, more peppery style is made in cooler regions with the best examples coming from Eden Valley. Australian producers such as Penfolds, Torbreck, and Henschke have garnered international recognition for making world-class wines from Shiraz.

    One cannot talk about New-World Syrah without recognizing the work of Californian producers, most notably Sine Qua Non, Colgin, and Alban, who have also gained international recognition for the quality of their wines from Syrah.

    The delicate flavors of cooler climate Syrah from the Northern Rhône and Sonoma make it an ideal pairing for dishes like lamb or eggplant. The bold flavors of warmer climate Shiraz from Australia pair well with barbeque pork and chicken, short ribs, and steak. 

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    Collector Data For This Wine

    • 115 bottles owned
    • 13 collectors