What an extraordinary interplay of smoky fresh pineapple and stony mineral character this super- concentrated but medium-bodied white Rhône has. The south and the north of wine (in the widest sense) meet in this singularity of the marsanne grape. Gigantic minerality in the totally focused and extremely long, pure finish. From a steep, south- facing slope. Enormous aging potential. From biodynamically grown grapes.
2021
M. Chapoutier, Ermitage Blanc Le Méal 2021 6x75cl 100/100 JS
Top Score: 100 points
“the 2021 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc is another pure, elegant, incredibly impressive white ”
Price IN BOND
£875.00 6 x 75cl Bottles
11 in stock
| Colour | White |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhône |
100 points James Suckling
97+ points Jeb Dunnuck
From the warmer, south-facing Le Méal lieu-dit and always the first to be harvested, the 2021 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc is another pure, elegant, incredibly impressive white offering notes of honeyed stone fruits, roasted hazelnuts, brioche, and crushed rock. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent, it’s more expressive and expansive than the more chiseled, elegant De L’Orée, but the quality is basically the same. It too needs 3-4 years of bottle age.
97 points Decanter
Fresh pear and a touch of honey add to what is already a full-bodied, powerful expression on the palate, really intense and driving with plenty of extract. There’s a great sense of freshness and power, but no great fatness on the palate – it’s relatively lean in fact, and should live for a long time. Pure Marsanne over 50 years old, whole-bunch pressed and half fermented in demi-muids, half in vats. The vineyards are on pebbles, clay and some loess, facing south.
- 18 points Jancis Robinson
Deep gold. This offers honey and tension and a glorious cocktail with floral, blossomy notes. Complete with a lightly bitter note and already wonderful. Long and glorious. You could lose yourself in this. Gorgeous when first tasted but after L’Ermite it admittedly tastes blowsier… Drink 2022-2040.
