2003 Ermitage Blanc de l'Oree
Buying options
Tasting notes
Nearly perfect, one of the most prodigious dry white wines I have ever tasted is the 2003 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. A 669-case cuvee fashioned from yields of 10 hectoliters per hectare, it offers aromas and flavors beyond anything I have previously tasted in a dry white. It tastes like a liqueur of licorice intermixed with a liqueur of honeysuckle, quince, and rocks. Opulent, viscous, and full-bodied, at first glance it is seemingly fragile and over the top, but it boasts extraordinary freshness and liveliness as well as monster concentration and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. I suspect it will drink beautifully for 3-4 years, then go into a funky stage, and re-emerge two decades later. It may be a 100-year wine ... but who knows? Without question, it is a tour de force in winemaking.
Critic scores
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
About the producer
M. Chapoutier is one of the Rhône’s most famous and established producers. The company produces an incredibly broad range of wines at every price point – from everyday Côtes du Rhône to its top single-vineyard cuvées, both from estate-owned vineyards and purchased fruit.