2011 Ermitage Le Meal
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Tasting notes
Showing just a touch of bricking to its hue, the 2011 Ermitage Le Méal continues to drink well and should continue to do so for at least several more years. Scents of cherries, raspberries, leather and scorched meat appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is pleasantly supple, finishing long and silky.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Opaque purple. Deeply pitched, mineral-laced black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by notes of potpourri, smoked game, anise and cola. On the palate, broad, powerful cassis and boysenberry flavors are accented by a strong jolt of peppery spices, which add back-end lift. The floral element comes back emphatically on the strikingly long finish, which features supple tannins and a touch of medicinal bitterness.
Dark purple. Smoked meat, cherry pit, cassis and licorice on the pungent, mineral-accented nose. Chewy, penetrating bitter cherry and dark berry flavors show a medicinal quality that numbs the palate, with cracked pepper and floral pastille nuances adding complexity. Finishes tangy and long, with impressive clarity and gentle tannic grip.
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2011 Ermitage Le Meal is a voluptuously-styled, sexy wine that offers serious amounts of blackberry, black raspberry, toast, licorice and spice. Full-bodied, deeply concentrated and with an incredible texture, it stays fresh and beautifully focused through the finish. Blockbuster stuff, it should drink nicely over the coming two decades or more. Drink: 2013 - 2033. Wine Advocate #210 Dec 2013