This legendary wine is produced from 85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne frommultiple plots on the famous l'hermitage hill.
Vineyard Location: Rocoules: A mid-slope site of clay and limestone dominated by white grapes, as reds sourced from this site would tend to have coarse tannins. Hermite: A monopole owned by the Chave family since 1984. Located at the very top of the Hermitage hill and has a range of soil types, including granite and loess. Péléat: Another monopole that lies adjacent to Rocoules. Stony, sandy soil provides wines that are firmer and more complex. Maison Blanche: A fairly large vineyard which lies above Rocoules. The soil is iron-rich clay with a top layer of fine loess.
Vinification: Fermentation 100% in oak barrel. Aged in barriques for 24 months.
98+ points Jeb Dunnuck: Another incredible white from this family is the 2019 Hermitage Blanc, a powerful, concentrated, and remarkably pure Hermitage that has laser- like focus as well as textbook Marsanne notes of quince, green almond, powdered rock, licorice, and spice. It’s still tight, focused, and inward at present, yet it reminds me of the 2018 with its purity and rare mix of power and elegance. It’s worth trying a bottle any time over the coming 3-5 years, but after that, I’d recommend waiting until after 2031.
98 points Vinous: Tasted in components. #1) Peleat: Emphatically floral, with powerful pear, Meyer lemon qualities, building iodine, fennel and mineral notes. #2) Rocoules Haute: Pungent citrus fruits, pear skin and jasmine on the nose. Weighty yet lithe as well, showing serious intensity to its sappy orchard and citrus fruit flavors. #3) Rocoules mid-slope: Spicy and incisive, showing sharp definition to its fresh yellow plum and orange flavors. Mineral notes build with air and add fine delineation and back-end cut. #4) Roucules Bas: Richer still, displaying an array of ripe orchard and pit fruit qualities and building floral and mineral notes. A hint of tangerine emerges with air and adds energy to lingering peach nectar and pear liqueur notes.
