Along with Bordeaux and Burgundy, Rhône Valley wines are acknowledged to be among the best in the world. Situated in the Rhône River Valley in the south of France, the Rhône is comprised of two distinct regions—the north and south—each with its own viniculture and featuring wines of very different character.
The Northern Rhône (referred to in French as Rhône septentrional) produces powerful, aromatically complex and age worthy red wines, often in very limited numbers, from the dignified Syrah grape. Typically, most red wines in the northern zone have had an alcohol content in the common 12% to 13% range, but warmer-than-normal growing seasons (like in 1997, 1999, and 2003 in particular), have brought significantly richer, more powerful, and higher alcoholic content varieties.
The Southern Rhône (or Rhône méridional) yields more than 90% of the valley’s total production. A multitude of markedly more rustic and often richer blends coming from the high-alcohol Grenache grape can be identified by a more “southern” flavor. The wines offer a rich mouth feel, and more of a roasted and somewhat liqueur-ish fruit personality with spice and wild herb accents.
In the Northern Rhône Valley the apotheosis of Viognier, an exotically scented white wine, is also grown. Viognier is a variety that has been recently planted on several continents by growers hoping to capitalize on a strong worldwide demand. There are other white wines from the Rhône Valley (albeit less exciting than Viognier). The majority of these are blends based on Marsanne and Roussanne in the North, and Grenache Blanc and less interesting native varieties in the South.
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: The 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is certainly in the same league as the 2009 and 2010, and it’s going to be interesting to compare these vintages over the coming 2-3+ decades. The 2015 has all the hallmarks of a great...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: Interesting and ageworthy is the Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg, a blend of 50% Roussanne and 50% Marsanne, that is encouraged to go through malolactic fermentation. The fat 1998 Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg...
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: The best of the lineup in 2016 is unquestionably the 2016 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which is all Marsanne from the granite soils at the top of Hermitage hill that was brought up in 25% new demi-muids. Boasting a crazy...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 points: Year in and year out, Jaboulet’s top white is the Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg, which is aged in new oak for nine months prior to bottling. The 2001 (a blend of 35% Roussanne and 65% Marsanne) exhibits aromas of ripe...
Vinous, 94 points: Vivid yellow-gold. Ripe honeydew melon, orange, buttered toast and a hint of smoky minerals on the intensely perfumed nose. A hint of leesiness emerges with air and carries onto the palate, complementing concentrated...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2016 Ermitage De L’Orée is also beautiful in the vintage and has a huge nose of buttered citrus, white flowers, orange blossom, and liquid rocks. Rich, full-bodied, beautifully pure and elegant, it has a seamless feel...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 99 points: A wine that tastes akin to liquid rocks as well as white currants and quince is the light golden 2004 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. This is a fabulous wine, with blockbuster intensity and richness. This is the kind of wine...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: Of the three sélection parcellaire whites, the 2015 Ermitage de l’Orée is the most fresh and lively, with full-bodied richness and depth in its pineapple, mint, tropical fruits, toasted bread, brioche and liquid...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: One of the coolest vintages in the decade, the 2008 Ermitage le Meal Blanc is a serious, full-bodied, ripe and textured beauty that has lively acidity in its honeyed fruits, buttered-citrus and caramel aromas and flavors...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: Similarly colored, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc comes from a warmer terroir of pebbly and more loess soils and was brought up in 10% new demi-muids. It's a bigger, richer wine than the de l’Orée and boasts rocking...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: 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...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: Leading off three single-vintage whites from Hermitage, the stunning 2013 Ermitage Cuvee de L’Orée has an off-the-hook bouquet that includes just about everything you could think of when considering Hermitage Blanc. White...
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