2015 Ermitage L'Ermite
Buying options
Tasting notes
3 ha, 100% Syrah, 80+ year old vines at the top of the hill around the chapel on loess over granite. Dark, deep, brooding. Aromatically this veers towards the mineral; petrichor and fleur du sel. Sublime freshness, almost like sea air. Full-bodied, but strapped in with tannin. The quality of the tannin is very impressive; highly assertive, almost saw-toothed. But crucially they are ripe and elegant. This is incredibly long and pure. It will take time to come around, but will be superlative. Straight, long, as smart as a whip. 98-100 points 2027 to 2060. Apr 2016, Matt Walls, www.timatkin.com, Drink: 2027-2060
Critic scores
Average Score
Tim Atkin MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Starting the single vineyard releases, or wines Michel calls “Sélections Parcellaires,” the 2015 Ermitage l’Ermite is an absolute blockbuster, decadent, surprisingly sexy example of this cuvée that offers tons of black and blue fruits, crushed rocks, graphite, violets and spring flowers. Coming from the very top of Hermitage Hill, from old vines and aged in just 30% new French oak, this full-bodied beauty will need to be forgotten for 3-4 years, but I suspect the sweet tannin and tons of fruit will give it a broad drink window. Dec 2016, www.robertparker.com
My pick of Chapoutier's 2015 Ermitage bottlings on this occasion was the 2015 Ermitage l'Ermite. It just edged out the other wines for its incredible purity of cassis fruit, indelible intensity and massive concentration. Size doesn't matter if the other elements aren't there, but this wine is complex, balanced and long, a true tour de force. Hints of crushed stone, peppery spice and grilled meat are in the background right now, partially submerged under the waves of fruit and ripe tannins, so give it a decade or so to shed some of that puppy fat and reveal its true nature. Dec 2017, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
M. Chapoutier is one of the Rhône’s most famous and established producers. The company produces an incredibly broad range of wines at every price point – from everyday Côtes du Rhône to its top single-vineyard cuvées, both from estate-owned vineyards and purchased fruit.