Rhône
The Rhône Valley, located in southeastern France, is renowned for its exceptional fine wines. With its diverse terroir, rich history, and dedication to quality winemaking, the Rhône Valley offers a captivating selection of wines that embody the region's elegance, complexity, and distinctive character.
The Rhône Valley boasts its own iconic vineyards and wineries, including Château de Beaucastel, Domaine Guigal, and Chapoutier, which are celebrated for producing exceptional wines that showcase the region's unique terroir and winemaking expertise.
The Rhône Valley is renowned for its red wines, particularly in the northern part of the region. Syrah reigns as the dominant grape variety, producing intense and structured wines. Appellations such as Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas are known for their robust and age-worthy reds, often displaying notes of black fruits, spice, and earthiness. Famous vineyards such as La Landonne, La Mouline, and Les Bessards are revered for their exceptional expressions of Syrah.
In the southern Rhône Valley, Grenache takes centre stage, contributing to the region's bold and fruit-forward red blends. The renowned appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous for its rich and full-bodied red wines, often featuring a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Vineyards like Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, and Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe produce remarkable wines that showcase the region's commitment to excellence.
The Rhône Valley is also celebrated for its white wines, particularly in the northern part of the region. Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne are the key grape varieties, producing aromatic and complex whites. Appellations like Condrieu and Hermitage produce exceptional white wines known for their floral aromas, stone fruit flavors, and vibrant acidity.
Read More
Rhône
Photo
AI Chat
-
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.Inc. VAT£701.98 -
Inc. VAT£159.44 -
Vinous (91)
Dark red. Very ripe but somewhat stunted aromas of blackcurrant, plum, nuts and woodsmoke. Concentrated, ripe and full; very rich but rather uncompromisingly dry. The slightly roasted red fruit and nut flavors show more breadth than personality now, but this young Cote-Rotie is unusually fat and persistent, finishing with dusty, ripe tannins.Inc. VAT£1,324.32 -
(12x75cl) 2007Vinous (91-94)
Bright red. Powerfully scented, textbook Cote-Rotie aromas of red and dark berries, violet, bacon fat, tobacco and minerals. Extremely fresh, with sweet black raspberry and cassis flavors, velvety texture and mounting smokiness. Finishes with an echo of violet and lingering olive and mineral traces.Inc. VAT£1,663.61 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Showing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2013 Côte Rôtie la Mordorée comes from schist soils, was completely destemmed and spent 18 months in 25% new French oak. Its deep purple color is accompanied by classic notes of raspberries, bay leaf, olive tapenade and violets. Possessing beautiful minerality, a full, layered mid-palate and building tannin, drink this beautiful wine anytime over the coming 15 or more years.Inc. VAT£663.49 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!Inc. VAT£147.86 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!Inc. VAT£696.35 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
The 2018 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée comes from the La Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde lieux-dits and is brought up in demi-muids, roughly 35% being new. Black raspberries, currants, cured meats, new leather, and Asian spice notes all define the bouquet. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent on the palate, it has lots of tannins, loads of fruit, and a great finish.Inc. VAT£597.35 -
Inc. VAT£639.80 -
(6x75cl) 2012Vinous (92)
Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.Inc. VAT£361.24 -
(1x75cl) 2016Wine Advocate (94)
Grown on the western-facing portion of the Hermitage hill, on the same underlying granite as les Bessards, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers makes a mockery of most Crozes-Hermitages, coming across more like Hermitage itself. Aged in a mix of barriques and demi-muids, it frames cassis fruit with hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone. Full-bodied and concentrated, it shows granite-like reserve in its powerful expression and long, dusty finish.Inc. VAT£110.93 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Always one of the top Crozes-Hermitage out there (although the case could be made that it's more Hermitage than Crozes), the 2018 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers has a liqueur of rocks-like character as well as gorgeous blue fruits, violets, earth, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. I'd unquestionably guess Hermitage in a blind lineup. This full-bodied beauty has a seamless texture, ample tannins, and a great finish. It's pure class and the finest Crozes Hermitage out there in 2018. It's a stunning value that readers should snatch up!Inc. VAT£383.98 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
Not yet bottled, the 2019 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers comes from the Varogne lieu-dit located just to the west of Hermitage. This is a cooler, more shaded vineyard of pure granite soils, and I always find an Hermitage-like character in this wine. Lots of blackberry, cassis, crushed stone, leather, and violet notes emerge from the glass, and it's rich, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, with lots of structure yet more than enough fruit. The quality of this cuvée has soared recently and the 2019 will be another gem readers will love.Inc. VAT£371.98 -
Jancis Robinson (16.5)
An appealing nose that shows vivid and expressive dark fruits. An olive-tapenade note as well as fig spice and slight bacon fat beneath. Lots of freshness here as well. Bizarrely the nose is rich and ripe and the palate is not showing as much alcohol as you would expect. Expressive. (AC)Inc. VAT£287.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94+)
Coming from a site on the western side of Hermitage that's really more Hermitage than Crozes-Hermitage, the 2023 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers sports a deep purple hue as well as cassis, juicy plum, graphite, ground black pepper, and some iron and mineral notes. This beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and outstanding length. It's probably the Crozes of the vintage. Drink 2026-2046.Inc. VAT£293.69 -
Vinous (90+)
Perfumed aromas of apple, pear, white flowers and herbs. Concentrated, rich and still quite primary; really dense with material. Flavors of apple, hay and nut skin. Tastes like a barrel sample. Finishes with a dusty, minerally quality and excellent persistence.Inc. VAT£1,537.49 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The awesome 1999 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree flirts with perfection. It is full-bodied, with an incredible bouquet of liquid minerals, licorice, honeysuckle, citrus, and a hint of tropical fruits. One-hundred percent new oak aging has been completely absorbed by the wine's fruit and glycerin. This is a winemaking tour de force, made from exceedingly low yields of 12-15 hectoliters per hectare (less than one ton of fruit per acre). However, readers should understand that these are often unusual wines to drink because they tend to show exceptionally well for 4-5 years after bottling, then close up until about age 12. They can last for 4-5 decades. Anticipated maturity: now-2006; 2012-2050. Along with Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave, Chapoutier is producing the finest expressions of white Hermitage. His single vineyard cuvees are to die for if you like these eccentric, idiosyncratic, mammoth dry whites.Inc. VAT£1,212.04 -
Wine Advocate (100)
These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.Inc. VAT£1,257.58 -
Wine Advocate (99)
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 that may last 50-100 years, but of course most readers will opt for earlier consumption.Inc. VAT£1,319.09 -
Wine Advocate (100)
There are 477 cases of the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to insert in a blind tasting against the world’s greatest dry white wines, including Montrachet. The famous gout de petrol is there along with hints of citrus oil, wet steel, crushed rocks, quince, white currants, anise and honeysuckle. Very full, with off-the-charts intensity, this wine was fashioned from yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare (which is financial suicide) from 90 to 100-year old Marsanne vines. The result is an amazingly concentrated white wine that should drink well for 50+ years.Inc. VAT£1,321.55 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 peach, white flowers, almond paste, quince and wet rock are just some of the nuances, and it packs a serious punch on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a flamboyant, expansive texture and riveting focus and purity. Give it a year or so and drink it over the following 2-3 decades.Inc. VAT£1,241.15 -
Wine Advocate (98)
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 rock-styled aromas and flavors. It has good acidity, a stacked mid-palate and one seriously long finish.Inc. VAT£1,127.15 -
Wine Spectator (97)
Densely fruited, featuring yellow apple, peach, pear and mirabelle plum flavors, but lithe and pure as well, with light floral, quinine and salted butter notes rippling underneath. The very long finish shows latent energy and a lingering chamomile echo. Best from 2022 through 2040.Inc. VAT£170.66 -
Decanter (97)
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet ripeness of fruit that often marks out this cuvée. Good balancing acidity here, with real intensity of concentrated sappy fruits. Huge length, impressive power and a great mineral expression. It coats the mouth, and somehow stays fresh despite its richness. Old vine Marsanne (over 70 years old) grown on the pebbly, sand and clay soils of the lieu-dit Les Murets. 80% is matured in demi-muid for 11 months, 15% new oak, and the rest in stainless steel. 2017 is an exceptional year for de l'Orée.Inc. VAT£295.61 -
Decanter (97)
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet ripeness of fruit that often marks out this cuvée. Good balancing acidity here, with real intensity of concentrated sappy fruits. Huge length, impressive power and a great mineral expression. It coats the mouth, and somehow stays fresh despite its richness. Old vine Marsanne (over 70 years old) grown on the pebbly, sand and clay soils of the lieu-dit Les Murets. 80% is matured in demi-muid for 11 months, 15% new oak, and the rest in stainless steel. 2017 is an exceptional year for de l'Orée.Inc. VAT£821.52 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
Leading off the single vineyard Hermitage whites, the 2018 Ermitage De L’Orée is all Marsanne, from the Les Murets lieu-dit, brought up mostly in used demi-muids. Orange blossom, crushed citrus, spice box, white flowers, beautiful minerality, and vivid charcoal notes emerge from the glass of this beautiful, concentrated, opulent Hermitage, which has a stacked mid-palate and a level of structure fitting for a red wine. It's a brilliant wine that's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20+.Inc. VAT£947.52 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Moving to the three single vineyard Hermitage Blancs, these are all perfect wines yet offer distinct characters. The 2019 Ermitage De L’Orée comes from more limestone soils in the Les Murets lieu-dit, on the eastern side of the appellation and was brought up in 15% new demi-muids. It reveals a vivid gold hue to go with gorgeous honeyed peach, white currants, quince, crushed stone, and white flower-like aromas and flavors. This full-bodied white has terrific concentration, a rich, layered mouthfeel, beautiful acidity, and a finish that just won't quit. Offering more fat and opulence than the L'Ermite and more minerality than the Le Meal, this pinnacle Hermitage Blanc needs a year or three of bottle age, then should drink nicely for 5-7 years, at which point it's best forgotten in the cellar for another decade. It should last for 20-30 years.Inc. VAT£1,078.78 -
(3x150cl) 2020Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades.Inc. VAT£1,130.36 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades.Inc. VAT£747.95 -
Inc. VAT£177.72
-
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.In Bond£565.00 -
In Bond£130.00
-
Vinous (91)
Dark red. Very ripe but somewhat stunted aromas of blackcurrant, plum, nuts and woodsmoke. Concentrated, ripe and full; very rich but rather uncompromisingly dry. The slightly roasted red fruit and nut flavors show more breadth than personality now, but this young Cote-Rotie is unusually fat and persistent, finishing with dusty, ripe tannins.In Bond£1,085.00 -
(12x75cl) 2007
Vinous (91-94)
Bright red. Powerfully scented, textbook Cote-Rotie aromas of red and dark berries, violet, bacon fat, tobacco and minerals. Extremely fresh, with sweet black raspberry and cassis flavors, velvety texture and mounting smokiness. Finishes with an echo of violet and lingering olive and mineral traces.In Bond£1,345.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Showing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2013 Côte Rôtie la Mordorée comes from schist soils, was completely destemmed and spent 18 months in 25% new French oak. Its deep purple color is accompanied by classic notes of raspberries, bay leaf, olive tapenade and violets. Possessing beautiful minerality, a full, layered mid-palate and building tannin, drink this beautiful wine anytime over the coming 15 or more years.In Bond£535.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!In Bond£120.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!In Bond£561.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
The 2018 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée comes from the La Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde lieux-dits and is brought up in demi-muids, roughly 35% being new. Black raspberries, currants, cured meats, new leather, and Asian spice notes all define the bouquet. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent on the palate, it has lots of tannins, loads of fruit, and a great finish.In Bond£478.50 -
In Bond£512.50
-
(6x75cl) 2012
Vinous (92)
Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.In Bond£285.00 -
(1x75cl) 2016
Wine Advocate (94)
Grown on the western-facing portion of the Hermitage hill, on the same underlying granite as les Bessards, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers makes a mockery of most Crozes-Hermitages, coming across more like Hermitage itself. Aged in a mix of barriques and demi-muids, it frames cassis fruit with hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone. Full-bodied and concentrated, it shows granite-like reserve in its powerful expression and long, dusty finish.In Bond£89.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Always one of the top Crozes-Hermitage out there (although the case could be made that it's more Hermitage than Crozes), the 2018 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers has a liqueur of rocks-like character as well as gorgeous blue fruits, violets, earth, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. I'd unquestionably guess Hermitage in a blind lineup. This full-bodied beauty has a seamless texture, ample tannins, and a great finish. It's pure class and the finest Crozes Hermitage out there in 2018. It's a stunning value that readers should snatch up!In Bond£300.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
Not yet bottled, the 2019 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers comes from the Varogne lieu-dit located just to the west of Hermitage. This is a cooler, more shaded vineyard of pure granite soils, and I always find an Hermitage-like character in this wine. Lots of blackberry, cassis, crushed stone, leather, and violet notes emerge from the glass, and it's rich, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, with lots of structure yet more than enough fruit. The quality of this cuvée has soared recently and the 2019 will be another gem readers will love.In Bond£290.00 -
Jancis Robinson (16.5)
An appealing nose that shows vivid and expressive dark fruits. An olive-tapenade note as well as fig spice and slight bacon fat beneath. Lots of freshness here as well. Bizarrely the nose is rich and ripe and the palate is not showing as much alcohol as you would expect. Expressive. (AC)In Bond£218.50 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94+)
Coming from a site on the western side of Hermitage that's really more Hermitage than Crozes-Hermitage, the 2023 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers sports a deep purple hue as well as cassis, juicy plum, graphite, ground black pepper, and some iron and mineral notes. This beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and outstanding length. It's probably the Crozes of the vintage. Drink 2026-2046.In Bond£225.50 -
Vinous (90+)
Perfumed aromas of apple, pear, white flowers and herbs. Concentrated, rich and still quite primary; really dense with material. Flavors of apple, hay and nut skin. Tastes like a barrel sample. Finishes with a dusty, minerally quality and excellent persistence.In Bond£1,262.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The awesome 1999 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree flirts with perfection. It is full-bodied, with an incredible bouquet of liquid minerals, licorice, honeysuckle, citrus, and a hint of tropical fruits. One-hundred percent new oak aging has been completely absorbed by the wine's fruit and glycerin. This is a winemaking tour de force, made from exceedingly low yields of 12-15 hectoliters per hectare (less than one ton of fruit per acre). However, readers should understand that these are often unusual wines to drink because they tend to show exceptionally well for 4-5 years after bottling, then close up until about age 12. They can last for 4-5 decades. Anticipated maturity: now-2006; 2012-2050. Along with Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave, Chapoutier is producing the finest expressions of white Hermitage. His single vineyard cuvees are to die for if you like these eccentric, idiosyncratic, mammoth dry whites.In Bond£994.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.In Bond£1,028.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
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 that may last 50-100 years, but of course most readers will opt for earlier consumption.In Bond£1,080.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
There are 477 cases of the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to insert in a blind tasting against the world’s greatest dry white wines, including Montrachet. The famous gout de petrol is there along with hints of citrus oil, wet steel, crushed rocks, quince, white currants, anise and honeysuckle. Very full, with off-the-charts intensity, this wine was fashioned from yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare (which is financial suicide) from 90 to 100-year old Marsanne vines. The result is an amazingly concentrated white wine that should drink well for 50+ years.In Bond£1,082.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 peach, white flowers, almond paste, quince and wet rock are just some of the nuances, and it packs a serious punch on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a flamboyant, expansive texture and riveting focus and purity. Give it a year or so and drink it over the following 2-3 decades.In Bond£1,015.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
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 rock-styled aromas and flavors. It has good acidity, a stacked mid-palate and one seriously long finish.In Bond£920.00 -
Wine Spectator (97)
Densely fruited, featuring yellow apple, peach, pear and mirabelle plum flavors, but lithe and pure as well, with light floral, quinine and salted butter notes rippling underneath. The very long finish shows latent energy and a lingering chamomile echo. Best from 2022 through 2040.In Bond£139.00 -
Decanter (97)
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet ripeness of fruit that often marks out this cuvée. Good balancing acidity here, with real intensity of concentrated sappy fruits. Huge length, impressive power and a great mineral expression. It coats the mouth, and somehow stays fresh despite its richness. Old vine Marsanne (over 70 years old) grown on the pebbly, sand and clay soils of the lieu-dit Les Murets. 80% is matured in demi-muid for 11 months, 15% new oak, and the rest in stainless steel. 2017 is an exceptional year for de l'Orée.In Bond£241.00 -
Decanter (97)
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet ripeness of fruit that often marks out this cuvée. Good balancing acidity here, with real intensity of concentrated sappy fruits. Huge length, impressive power and a great mineral expression. It coats the mouth, and somehow stays fresh despite its richness. Old vine Marsanne (over 70 years old) grown on the pebbly, sand and clay soils of the lieu-dit Les Murets. 80% is matured in demi-muid for 11 months, 15% new oak, and the rest in stainless steel. 2017 is an exceptional year for de l'Orée.In Bond£666.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
Leading off the single vineyard Hermitage whites, the 2018 Ermitage De L’Orée is all Marsanne, from the Les Murets lieu-dit, brought up mostly in used demi-muids. Orange blossom, crushed citrus, spice box, white flowers, beautiful minerality, and vivid charcoal notes emerge from the glass of this beautiful, concentrated, opulent Hermitage, which has a stacked mid-palate and a level of structure fitting for a red wine. It's a brilliant wine that's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20+.In Bond£771.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Moving to the three single vineyard Hermitage Blancs, these are all perfect wines yet offer distinct characters. The 2019 Ermitage De L’Orée comes from more limestone soils in the Les Murets lieu-dit, on the eastern side of the appellation and was brought up in 15% new demi-muids. It reveals a vivid gold hue to go with gorgeous honeyed peach, white currants, quince, crushed stone, and white flower-like aromas and flavors. This full-bodied white has terrific concentration, a rich, layered mouthfeel, beautiful acidity, and a finish that just won't quit. Offering more fat and opulence than the L'Ermite and more minerality than the Le Meal, this pinnacle Hermitage Blanc needs a year or three of bottle age, then should drink nicely for 5-7 years, at which point it's best forgotten in the cellar for another decade. It should last for 20-30 years.In Bond£879.00 -
(3x150cl) 2020
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades.In Bond£922.68 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades.In Bond£604.00 -
In Bond£145.00
