Ermitage wines possess a rich historical past. They were appreciated as early on as Roman times when they were enjoyed (as well as Cote Rotie wines) under the name of "Vienne wines" and were later to be called "Saint Christopher's hillside wines" because of a chapel there bearing the saint's name. They were also to be known of as “Tournon wines".

The name of Ermitage probably first appeared in the 17th Century in memory of Henry Gaspard, a knight from Sterimberg who, having come back from the Crusades (in the 13th Century) and tired of waging war, lived as a hermit on a hillside which had been given to him by Anne of Castille, Queen of Spain. There he planted a vineyard.

Chapoutier’s 100% Syrah comes from the Greffieux, situated at the foot of the Hermitage hill. The soil is made up of glacial alluvial deposit composed of shingles and clay. Les Greffieux has a steady garnet red color. On the nose are aromas of small black fruits, ink and black pepper. The wine has powerful tannins and hints of liquorice. Depending on the vintage, it can be kept from 30 to 60 years or from 50 to 75 years.