2008 Ermitage Le Meal
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Tasting notes
From a more challenging vintage, the 2008 Ermitage Le Méal nevertheless still brings beautiful depth and richness, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of sweet red and black fruits, flowery incense, leather, and spiced meats. It's balanced, elegant, has plenty of up-front charm, and is clearly an outstanding Hermitage to enjoy over the coming decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
A cool, rainy and difficult year in the Northern Rhone, the 2008 Ermitage le Meal is still beautiful and has a semi-opaque, ruby color, complex notes of spiced meats, saddle leather, incense and sweet red fruits, and medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. Elegant, with fine tannin and excellent purity of fruit, enjoy it anytime over the coming decade.
Opaque ruby. Sexy, expansive aromas of raspberry and cherry pie, star anise and cola. Sweet and silky in texture, with palate-staining red fruit flavors and sweet oak spiciness. A floral quality comes up with aeration and lingers on the sappy, impressively long finish. Extremely seductive and approachable now, especially with a little time in a decanter.
Deep ruby. Expressive bouquet of raspberry, cherry, redcurrant, smoky oak and potpourri. Sweet, ripe and round, with very good intensity to the sweet red berry and spicy oak flavors. Silky, sweet and nicely focused on the finish, which leaves spicy floral notes behind. This will be drinkable soon after release.