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Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $82.78
Golden yellow in color with aromas of white pear and apple blossom. Rich and textural on the palate with flavors of...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $109.84
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $48.63
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $228.29
Nearly perfect, one of the most prodigious dry white wines I have ever tasted is the 2003 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree....
WA
99
WS
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $137.19
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $343.70
There are 477 cases of the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to insert in a...
WA
100
JD
99
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $225.93
Even better and always one of the top whites in any given vintage, the 2011 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree (first...
WA
99
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $292.42
The 2012 Ermitage De L’Orée continues to drink brilliantly and is starting to show a touch of maturity. Offering a...
WA
99
JD
99
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $224.17
Leading off three single-vintage whites from Hermitage, the stunning 2013 Ermitage Cuvee de L’Orée has an...
WA
100
WS
96
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $167.83
The 2016 Ermitage De L’Orée is also beautiful in the vintage and has a huge nose of buttered citrus, white...
WA
97
WS
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
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...
DC
99
JD
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $173.25
96-98 Classy hints of pencil shavings accent the pear, nectarine and melon fruit in the full-bodied, voluptuous 2018...
WA
98
JD
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
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,...
JS
99
WS
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $189.28
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $482.31
The 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc is pure perfection in white wine. Coming from very old, pre-phylloxera vines...
WA
100
JD
100
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $799.86
The wine of the vintage (and I’ll include all the wines of the northern Rhône, red and white in that grouping) is...
WA
100
WS
97
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
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...
WA
100
JD
100
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $1268.31
The best of the lineup in 2016 is unquestionably the 2016 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which is all Marsanne from the...
JD
100
WA
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $565.28
The best of the lineup in 2016 is unquestionably the 2016 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which is all Marsanne from the...
JD
100
WA
98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $637.81
As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases...
WA
100
DC
98

Marsanne Primitivo Ribolla Gialla Pre-Arrival

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.