2010 Hermitage Les Miaux

(raised in a 50/50 combination of demi-muids and barriques ): Opaque ruby. High-pitched, mineral-accented aromas of red berries, cherry, flowers and exotic spices. Finely chiseled and precise, offering sweet, impressive concentrated black raspberry and cherry compote flavors. This rich and graceful Hermitage finishes with strong cut and lingering spiciness.

The 2010 Ermitage Les Dionnieres and 2010 Hermitage Le Miaux are slightly less powerful and rich than their 2009 counterparts, but both ooze with blue and black fruit, licorice, graphite, black truffle and earth characteristics. Le Miaux has a fleshier, beef blood-like intensity and Les Dionnieres is a slightly smokier, more evolved effort. Both are top-notch wines that should drink well for 20-25 years. (Not yet released) If the turn around in quality of the Paul Jaboulet-Aine wines is the biggest good news story of qualitative improvement in the northern Rhone, what Michel Chapoutier has accomplished with Ferraton is a close second. This is definitely a name to be taken seriously, as Chapoutier has expanded the portfolio and continues to upgrade the quality across the board. Ferraton’s 2009s and 2010s are the finest wines made to date. There appears to be three levels of quality now being produced, beginning with the generic bottlings, to the single vineyard (or lieu-dit) offerings, followed by the top of the line, more expensive, limited production efforts called selections parcellaires. Importer: A French Paradox, Peoria, IL; tel. (309) 682-8994

The 2010 Ermitage Les Dionnieres and 2010 Hermitage Le Miaux are slightly less powerful and rich than their 2009 counterparts, but both ooze with blue and black fruit, licorice, graphite, black truffle and earth characteristics. Le Miaux has a fleshier, beef blood-like intensity and Les Dionnieres is a slightly smokier, more evolved effort. Both are top-notch wines that should drink well for 20-25 years. ||(Not yet released)||If the turn around in quality of the Paul Jaboulet-Aine wines is the biggest good news story of qualitative improvement in the northern Rhone, what Michel Chapoutier has accomplished with Ferraton is a close second. This is definitely a name to be taken seriously, as Chapoutier has expanded the portfolio and continues to upgrade the quality across the board. Ferraton’s 2009s and 2010s are the finest wines made to date. There appears to be three levels of quality now being produced, beginning with the generic bottlings, to the single vineyard (or lieu-dit) offerings, followed by the top of the line, more expensive, limited production efforts called selections parcellaires. Wine Advocate.December, 2011