2016 Hermitage

A blend from L'Ermite, Le Sabot and Les Bessards. Two-day cold soak and then punchdowns in open fermenters. Total cuvaison 20 days. Malo in barrel. Mid crimson – rather paler in fact than you might expect. Wonderfully warm, savoury, sun-dried herbs nose. Already accessible! Amazing. Gentle tannins. Lovely balance of sweetness and freshness with much, much lower tannin and density count than classical Hermitage – or at least the fruit almost subsumes the ripe tannins. But I suspect it will age well. Very user-friendly. (JR)

Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, the 2016 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes comes from a mix of the Bessards, Gréffieux, Méal, Rocoules, and Beaumes lieux-dits. It reveals a ruby/purple color as well as classic notes of black currants, toasted spices, dried earth, and violets. It's rounded, medium to full-bodied, mouthfilling, and incredibly elegant on the palate, with building yet polished tannins. It already possesses plenty of upfront charm and I suspect will continue drinking nicely for another two decades. It's a solid example of the 2016 vintage. Owned by the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm, Delas Frères is another largely negotiate estate that is fashioning brilliant wines from throughout the Rhône Valley. The incredible quality has been led by Burgundian Jacques Grange, who joined Delas Frères in 1997, and he’s assisted by the talented Claire Darnaud. The 2015s, reviewed last year, are some of the finest wines ever from this estate (same league as the 2009s and 2010s). They’ve done a fine job in 2016, with the wines showing more elegant characters, missing the density or structure of a top year, yet offering balanced, very drinkable profiles. The 2017s should surpass the 2016s, but also have upfront charming characters. It’s worth noting that this estate has seen a progression in style since 2005, where the wines were more extracted and oaky, to the 2016s and 2017s today, which could be seen as more mid-weight and elegant.

The 2016 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes is a beefy, bloody, red-fruited wine. Marked by scents of grilled meat and raspberries, it's medium to full-bodied, with supple tannins and a smooth, suave mouthfeel. Hints of clove and orange zest keep the finish lively and fresh.