France
The vast and diverse wine regions of France, each with its own unique terroirs, grape varieties, and winemaking techniques, are a treasure trove.
In Bordeaux, the birthplace of some of the world's most iconic wines, esteemed vineyards such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, and Château Haut-Brion produce exceptional red wines, showcasing the art of blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The region is also renowned for its exquisite white wines, with vineyards like Château d'Yquem and Domaine de Chevalier producing legendary sweet wines.
Moving to Burgundy, the vineyards of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, and Domaine Armand Rousseau capture the essence of the region's revered terroir, crafting exquisite red wines from the Pinot Noir grape. Meanwhile, Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Coche-Dury are celebrated for their world-class white wines, predominantly made from Chardonnay.
The Champagne region, known for its sparkling wines, boasts illustrious houses such as Krug, Dom Pérignon, and Moët & Chandon, as well as grower-producers like Pierre Péters and Jacques Selosse. These vineyards create exceptional sparkling wines using the traditional method, offering a symphony of delicate bubbles, elegant flavors, and vibrant acidity.
In the Rhône Valley, iconic vineyards like Chapoutier, E. Guigal, and Château de Beaucastel produce remarkable red wines in the northern appellations of Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cornas, showcasing the elegance and power of Syrah. Further south, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is celebrated for its rich and full-bodied red blends, with Château Rayas and Clos des Papes leading the way.
In Alsace, vineyards such as Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and omaine Trimbach craft exquisite white wines, including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, expressing the region's unique terroir and varietal character.
These are just a few highlights among the diverse array of wines that France offers. From the Loire Valley's crisp whites and elegant reds to the Languedoc-Roussillon's bold and robust wines, each region presents its own vinous treasures.
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France
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£794.44 |
|||||
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! |
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Rhone | 2 | 97-99 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£661.24 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£846.29 |
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Rhone | 1 | 91 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£621.40 |
|||||
Vinous (91)Bright red-ruby. Brooding aromas of plum, gunflint, hot stones, mint, nuts, charcoal and woodsmoke. Rich, dense, silky and very ripe; a wonderfully fleshy Crozes that really spreads out to coat the palate. As round, sweet and plush as this rather massive wine is, it's still youthfully unevolved. Finishes long and aromatic, with big, tongue-dusting tannins and hints of espresso and nutty oak. |
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Rhone | 2 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£487.24 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 2 | 97-99 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£367.24 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 4 | 16.5 (JR) |
Inc. VAT
£263.09 |
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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) |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£293.09 |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (RP) |
Inc. VAT
£1,485.23 |
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Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)The 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree comes from a lieu-dit known as Les Murets planted with 80- to 90-year-old Marsanne vines. The bouquet offers up scents of Asian spices, lychee nuts, white currant liqueur and peach and apricot marmalade. This stunning, honeyed, flamboyant white is perfection in a glass. Drink it over the next half century. |
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Rhone | 5 | 100 (RP) |
Inc. VAT
£1,378.84 |
|||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)The 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree comes from a lieu-dit known as Les Murets planted with 80- to 90-year-old Marsanne vines. The bouquet offers up scents of Asian spices, lychee nuts, white currant liqueur and peach and apricot marmalade. This stunning, honeyed, flamboyant white is perfection in a glass. Drink it over the next half century. |
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Rhone | 2 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£936.83 |
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Wine Advocate (99)The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades. |
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Rhone | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,081.24 |
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Wine Advocate (99)The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£888.83 |
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Decanter (100)This immediately exhibits the spellbinding, rich complexity that characterises this Hermitage cuvée. A really special, luxurious aromatic display that includes mango and raw cream. It’s full-bodied, with all the puppy fat that you might expect from de l'Orée. The oak is well integrated, contributing silk and spice notes, adding to the complexity. This is sublime. So long and fresh, just a perfect expression of white Hermitage. It’s rich, but somehow without heaviness. Just absolutely gorgeous. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£1,104.04 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 6 | 98+ (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£230.00 |
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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+. |
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Rhone | 2 | 98+ (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,028.44 |
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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+. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,076.44 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,136.44 |
|||||
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. |
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Rhone | 19 | - |
Inc. VAT
£1,019.09 |
|||||
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Rhone | 6 | - |
Inc. VAT
£1,019.09 |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£2,119.24 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98-100)The black-colored 2001 Ermitage l’Ermite may be equal to the perfect 1996. Awesome levels of kirsch liqueur, licorice, and white flowers are followed by a superbly concentrated, etched, long, deep wine with multiple layers, a fabulous texture, and virtually perfect balance as well as harmony. Possessing great stature and intensity, it is a monumental achievement. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,406.44 |
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Wine Advocate (94)It is an amazing achievement. Even better is the 2008 Ermitage l’Ermite (449 cases). Not as concentrated as Le Pavillon, it reveals a powdered rock character in its ink, graphite, earth, blueberry and black currant-scented bouquet. Displaying medium to full body as well as great purity, it is another amazing accomplishment from Michel Chapoutier. Interestingly, in 2008, Chapoutier decided to cut back on the new oak for all of his top cuvees (utilizing 25% versus the normal 100%). |
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Rhone | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,990.84 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)Conservatively, the 2009 Ermitage l’Ermite (702 cases) needs 25-30 years of cellaring. Another monumental effort from Michel Chapoutier, it possesses copious notes of smoky asphalt, black truffles, pen ink, graphite and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of flowers and crushed rocks. Extremely full-bodied with abundant sweet tannins, amazing penetration on the palate and a long finish, this historic effort should age effortlessly for 50-100+ years. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£2,580.04 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The 2010 Ermitage l’Ermite (454 cases produced) is another perfect wine. Completely different than Le Pavillon, l’Ermite is always slightly more austere. It comes from a 7.5-acre parcel of sandy, granitic soils at the top of the Hill of Hermitage that produces both red and white compelling Hermitages, somewhat unusual in this tiny appellation. The black/purple-colored 2010 l’Ermite exhibits a tight, more mineral-dominated set of aromatics offering up hints of blue and black fruits, charcoal, steak tartare and an unmistakable floral note. This full-bodied, more austere and tannic effort reveals extraordinary weight, palate penetration and purity. It represents the concentrated essence of a specific site as well as the Syrah grape planted in this magical appellation. Forgot it for 10-15 years, possibly two decades, and drink it over the following 50-75 years. |
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Rhone | 3 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,498.84 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)As expected, the 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite, which comes from the lieu-dit of the same name, is more backward and focused, with a slightly closed, tight profile. Slowly giving up ample cassis and black raspberry fruit, graphite, licorice and edgy minerality, it is full-bodied, deeply concentrated and tannic, yet still never puts a foot wrong and is perfectly balanced and seamless. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,381.24 |
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Wine Advocate (100)Another wine that topped out on my scale, the 523-case 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite is as profound an Hermitage as you can find. Coming from the granite soils located around the Chapel on the top of Hermitage hill, it's always the most tight, backward and structured of the releases, even more so than the Pavillon, which always seems to have another layer of sweet fruit to me. The 2012 is deeper and richer than the 2011, yet as with most 2012s, it more approachable and forward than the 2010 (and 2009 in this case). Exhibiting awesome notes of powdered rock, creme de cassis, liquid violets and lite gunpowder, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome mid-palate depth and building, ultra-fine tannin that frame the finish. It's an incredible wine that will won't start to become approachable until a decade after the vintage, and then will keep for three decades. |
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Rhone | 2 | 97 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,352.44 |
|||||
Wine Spectator (97)Sleek, with mouthwatering flavors of red currant, raspberry and cherry preserves forming the core, while a dusting of cocoa, a snap of red licorice and a long, lingering iron spine complete the picture. Very pure and focused. The minerality wins out in the end. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,941.64 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite is equally astounding but a completely different expression of Hermitage. Somehow this combines the reservedness of le Pavillon with the generosity of le Méal, resulting in a wine that I can only describe as perfect. The pristine cassis fruit is remarkably pure, joined by complex notes of crushed stone, salted licorice and the slightest hints of fine-grained oak. It's full-bodied, concentrated and velvety in texture, with oodles of chewy but ripe tannins and a finish that goes on for minutes. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£789.62 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98-100)As usual, Chapoutier's 2018 Ermitage l'Ermite is a standout among standouts. Crushed stone, blueberries, even a touch of herb feature on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is cool and crunchy but also ripe and generous. It's rich and long, with a firm, granitic structure that should enable two-plus decades of aging. This has it all. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,398.04 |
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Wine Advocate (98-100)As usual, Chapoutier's 2018 Ermitage l'Ermite is a standout among standouts. Crushed stone, blueberries, even a touch of herb feature on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is cool and crunchy but also ripe and generous. It's rich and long, with a firm, granitic structure that should enable two-plus decades of aging. This has it all. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (JD) |
In Bond
£646.00 |
|||||
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! |
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Rhone | 2 | 97-99 (JD) |
In Bond
£535.00 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
In Bond
£686.00 |
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Rhone | 1 | 91 (VN) |
In Bond
£505.00 |
|||||
Vinous (91)Bright red-ruby. Brooding aromas of plum, gunflint, hot stones, mint, nuts, charcoal and woodsmoke. Rich, dense, silky and very ripe; a wonderfully fleshy Crozes that really spreads out to coat the palate. As round, sweet and plush as this rather massive wine is, it's still youthfully unevolved. Finishes long and aromatic, with big, tongue-dusting tannins and hints of espresso and nutty oak. |
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Rhone | 2 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£390.00 |
|||||
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. |
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Rhone | 2 | 97-99 (JD) |
In Bond
£290.00 |
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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. |
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Rhone | 4 | 16.5 (JR) |
In Bond
£200.00 |
|||||
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) |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
In Bond
£225.00 |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (RP) |
In Bond
£1,227.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)The 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree comes from a lieu-dit known as Les Murets planted with 80- to 90-year-old Marsanne vines. The bouquet offers up scents of Asian spices, lychee nuts, white currant liqueur and peach and apricot marmalade. This stunning, honeyed, flamboyant white is perfection in a glass. Drink it over the next half century. |
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|
Rhone | 5 | 100 (RP) |
In Bond
£1,133.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (100)The 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree comes from a lieu-dit known as Les Murets planted with 80- to 90-year-old Marsanne vines. The bouquet offers up scents of Asian spices, lychee nuts, white currant liqueur and peach and apricot marmalade. This stunning, honeyed, flamboyant white is perfection in a glass. Drink it over the next half century. |
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|
|
Rhone | 2 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£770.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades. |
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Rhone | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£885.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades. |
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|
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (DC) |
In Bond
£730.00 |
|||||
Decanter (100)This immediately exhibits the spellbinding, rich complexity that characterises this Hermitage cuvée. A really special, luxurious aromatic display that includes mango and raw cream. It’s full-bodied, with all the puppy fat that you might expect from de l'Orée. The oak is well integrated, contributing silk and spice notes, adding to the complexity. This is sublime. So long and fresh, just a perfect expression of white Hermitage. It’s rich, but somehow without heaviness. Just absolutely gorgeous. |
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|
|
Rhone | 1 | 97 (DC) |
In Bond
£904.00 |
|||||
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. |
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Rhone | 6 | 98+ (JD) |
In Bond
£189.00 |
|||||
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+. |
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Rhone | 2 | 98+ (JD) |
In Bond
£841.00 |
|||||
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+. |
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|
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£881.00 |
|||||
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. |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
In Bond
£931.00 |
|||||
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. |
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|
|
Rhone | 19 | - |
In Bond
£830.00 |
|||||
|
|
Rhone | 6 | - |
In Bond
£830.00 |
|||||
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,750.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (98-100)The black-colored 2001 Ermitage l’Ermite may be equal to the perfect 1996. Awesome levels of kirsch liqueur, licorice, and white flowers are followed by a superbly concentrated, etched, long, deep wine with multiple layers, a fabulous texture, and virtually perfect balance as well as harmony. Possessing great stature and intensity, it is a monumental achievement. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040. |
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|
|
Rhone | 1 | 94 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,156.00 |
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Wine Advocate (94)It is an amazing achievement. Even better is the 2008 Ermitage l’Ermite (449 cases). Not as concentrated as Le Pavillon, it reveals a powdered rock character in its ink, graphite, earth, blueberry and black currant-scented bouquet. Displaying medium to full body as well as great purity, it is another amazing accomplishment from Michel Chapoutier. Interestingly, in 2008, Chapoutier decided to cut back on the new oak for all of his top cuvees (utilizing 25% versus the normal 100%). |
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Rhone | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
£1,643.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)Conservatively, the 2009 Ermitage l’Ermite (702 cases) needs 25-30 years of cellaring. Another monumental effort from Michel Chapoutier, it possesses copious notes of smoky asphalt, black truffles, pen ink, graphite and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of flowers and crushed rocks. Extremely full-bodied with abundant sweet tannins, amazing penetration on the palate and a long finish, this historic effort should age effortlessly for 50-100+ years. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£2,134.00 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The 2010 Ermitage l’Ermite (454 cases produced) is another perfect wine. Completely different than Le Pavillon, l’Ermite is always slightly more austere. It comes from a 7.5-acre parcel of sandy, granitic soils at the top of the Hill of Hermitage that produces both red and white compelling Hermitages, somewhat unusual in this tiny appellation. The black/purple-colored 2010 l’Ermite exhibits a tight, more mineral-dominated set of aromatics offering up hints of blue and black fruits, charcoal, steak tartare and an unmistakable floral note. This full-bodied, more austere and tannic effort reveals extraordinary weight, palate penetration and purity. It represents the concentrated essence of a specific site as well as the Syrah grape planted in this magical appellation. Forgot it for 10-15 years, possibly two decades, and drink it over the following 50-75 years. |
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Rhone | 3 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
£1,233.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)As expected, the 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite, which comes from the lieu-dit of the same name, is more backward and focused, with a slightly closed, tight profile. Slowly giving up ample cassis and black raspberry fruit, graphite, licorice and edgy minerality, it is full-bodied, deeply concentrated and tannic, yet still never puts a foot wrong and is perfectly balanced and seamless. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,135.00 |
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Wine Advocate (100)Another wine that topped out on my scale, the 523-case 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite is as profound an Hermitage as you can find. Coming from the granite soils located around the Chapel on the top of Hermitage hill, it's always the most tight, backward and structured of the releases, even more so than the Pavillon, which always seems to have another layer of sweet fruit to me. The 2012 is deeper and richer than the 2011, yet as with most 2012s, it more approachable and forward than the 2010 (and 2009 in this case). Exhibiting awesome notes of powdered rock, creme de cassis, liquid violets and lite gunpowder, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome mid-palate depth and building, ultra-fine tannin that frame the finish. It's an incredible wine that will won't start to become approachable until a decade after the vintage, and then will keep for three decades. |
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Rhone | 2 | 97 (WS) |
In Bond
£1,111.00 |
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Wine Spectator (97)Sleek, with mouthwatering flavors of red currant, raspberry and cherry preserves forming the core, while a dusting of cocoa, a snap of red licorice and a long, lingering iron spine complete the picture. Very pure and focused. The minerality wins out in the end. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,602.00 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite is equally astounding but a completely different expression of Hermitage. Somehow this combines the reservedness of le Pavillon with the generosity of le Méal, resulting in a wine that I can only describe as perfect. The pristine cassis fruit is remarkably pure, joined by complex notes of crushed stone, salted licorice and the slightest hints of fine-grained oak. It's full-bodied, concentrated and velvety in texture, with oodles of chewy but ripe tannins and a finish that goes on for minutes. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
In Bond
£650.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98-100)As usual, Chapoutier's 2018 Ermitage l'Ermite is a standout among standouts. Crushed stone, blueberries, even a touch of herb feature on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is cool and crunchy but also ripe and generous. It's rich and long, with a firm, granitic structure that should enable two-plus decades of aging. This has it all. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,149.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98-100)As usual, Chapoutier's 2018 Ermitage l'Ermite is a standout among standouts. Crushed stone, blueberries, even a touch of herb feature on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is cool and crunchy but also ripe and generous. It's rich and long, with a firm, granitic structure that should enable two-plus decades of aging. This has it all. |
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