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750ml
Bottle:
$595.08
$661.20
Very rich, but racy and well-focused, with a great minerally underpinning to the fresh butter, chamomile, yellow...
750ml
Bottle:
$787.95
6 bottles:
$772.19
As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases...
750ml
Bottle:
$114.81
6 bottles:
$112.51
Always a classic Hermitage Blanc, the 2019 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is all Marsanne that comes mostly from...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2003
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$227.48
Nearly perfect, one of the most prodigious dry white wines I have ever tasted is the 2003 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree....
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2009
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$344.43
There are 477 cases of the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to insert in a...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2011
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$219.95
Even better and always one of the top whites in any given vintage, the 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree (first...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$249.95
Leading off three single-vintage whites from Hermitage, the stunning 2013 Ermitage Cuvee de L’Orée has an...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2016
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$167.00
The 2016 Ermitage De L’Orée is also beautiful in the vintage and has a huge nose of buttered citrus, white...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$159.53
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2018
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$173.63
96-98 Classy hints of pencil shavings accent the pear, nectarine and melon fruit in the full-bodied, voluptuous 2018...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$159.53
A breathtaking and expansive bouquet of mirabelle tart with a wide spectrum of candied citrus aromas, fresh almonds,...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2011
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$479.83
The 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc is pure perfection in white wine. Coming from very old, pre-phylloxera vines...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2012
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$582.72
Another perfect wine from this reference point estate, the 2012 L'Ermite Blanc tastes like the essence of this...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2013
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$654.95
Completing a trifecta of perfect whites, the 2013 Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc is another sensational effort that offers...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2014
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$801.95
The wine of the vintage (and I’ll include all the wines of the northern Rhône, red and white in that grouping) is...
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M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2015
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$458.28
I’ve probably rated the L'Ermite Blanc a perfect score more times than any other wine out there, and the 2015...
American Whiskey Ice Wine Marsanne France Rhone Valley Hermitage
The United States of America is a country of great cultural diversity, influenced by migrating nations from across the world. As such, its whiskey industry is a fascinating and complex one, which represents the range of regional differences found there.
The Irish were the original pioneers of American whiskey, and when they emigrated in their thousands from the old country, they brought their skills, knowledge and distillation techniques with them, to give them something to remind each other of home in the New World. This is why American whiskey goes by the Irish spelling, with the additional ‘e’, and why many traditional American whiskies closely resemble the original Irish style.
Today, there are several different types of American whiskey, and the styles and production techniques are now set out in US federal law, cementing a set of characteristics and production methods to preserve and protect the industry.
Corn whiskey, which is made from a minimum 80% corn in the mash and aged for a short period, is probably the most historic of the American whiskey styles, but others like rye whiskey, which is made from a minimum of 51% rye and aged in charred barrels, are growing in popularity among a new generation of drinkers looking for something unique, interesting and independently produced. Alongside these styles, we find Tennessee whiskey, which uses maple charcoal for sweeter notes, the softer wheat whiskies, the world-dominating Bourbon whiskies, and others which are peculiar to specific states and regions.
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.
The Rhone Valley of southern France is a particularly fascinating wine region, with a history that stretches back to at least six hundred BCE, when the ancient Greeks first began cultivating vines there. The region itself is split into two distinct sub-regions, with the northern sub-region being famed for its production of exceptional Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier wines, packed full of interesting character and expressing the terroir found there. The southern sub-region is home to an enormous variety of grapes, and produces red, white and rosé wines, and some of the world's most famous and adored blended wines. The continental climate of the region is ideal for growing grapes, and the winds which blow from the Central Massif help temper the heat in the vineyards, leading to very ripe fruits holding plenty of flavor.
Hermitage is the northern Rhone's most famous red wine appellation. A small district, Hermitage produces remarkably rich, deeply-colored, aromatic red wines made only from Syrah, and complex white wines blended from Marsanne and Roussane. In the 18th and 19th century, Hermitage wines commanded prices akin to First-Growth Bordeaux.
Hermitage is located on a granitic hill of about 311 acres, with southern exposure, and a number of different soil types divided into various climats within the vineyard. The granite and exposure encourage optimal ripening of the grapes. So closely is the variety Syrah identified with the appellation that in Australia, Hermitage is sometimes used as a synonym for Shiraz (the Australian name for Syrah).