2012 M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite
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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.Drink Dates: 2022 - 2052Author: Jeb DunnuckIssue: 216International 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 RaynoldsIssue: March/April 2014Wine 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.Drink Dates: 2018-2030Author: James MolesworthIssue: Apr 30, 2015
See other similar producers:E. Guigal,Domaine Charvin
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.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 115 bottles owned
- 13 collectors