2018 Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Glass-staining ruby. Pungent dark berry preserve, floral pastille, botanical herb and olive aromas are complemented by hints of woodsmoke, licorice and pipe tobacco. Round and expansive in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet, mineral- and spice-accented blackberry, cherry-cola and candied violet flavors and a bitter chocolate nuance. Closes chewy, smoky and impressively long, with lingering spiciness and youthfully firm tannins. The balance of weight and energy here is superb.
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Hermitage comes from tiny parcels in les Beaumes, Péléat and les Dionnières and incorporates 60% to 70% whole bunches. It's a big, powerful wine that shows notes of roasted plums and ripe cherries, yet the plentiful tannins are silky, lending an elegant touch to the lingering finish.
100% Syrah. Aged for 18 months in oak (70% new). Cask sample. Tasted blind. Sweet red fruits, beetroot, rhubarb, blackcurrant. Very intense on the palate, with sharp acidity and drying tannins. There's lots of primary charm to the fruit, but the structure demands age. (RH)