2019 Ermitage Le Meal
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Tasting notes
Opaque violet color. Powerful, mineral-accented cherry, dark berry liqueur, smoked meat and floral scents are complemented by suggestions of five-spice powder, cracked pepper and licorice. Chewy and broad on the palate, offering densely packed blackberry, bitter cherry, candied violet, botanical herb and fruitcake flavors that become sweeter with aeration. A sexy floral note appears on the impressively persistent, mineral-laced finish, which shows fine delineation and youthfully chewy tannins.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The inky hued 2019 Ermitage Le Méal offers up a classic, kaleidoscope-like bouquet of red and black fruits, smoked meats, crushed stone, spice, and burning embers. Full-bodied, ripe, and opulent, it has a wonderful sense of balance, incredible concentration, and one hell of a great finish. This cuvée comes from the middle of Hermitage Hill and the more alluvial and loess soils of the Méal lieu-dit. It was all destemmed and spent 18 months in a mix of barrels and demi-muids, with 20% being new.
Chapoutier's 2019 Ermitage le Méal is a standout. Crushed stone and pencil shavings accent blackberry and blueberry aromas, while the full-bodied palate is richly tannic and concentrated, showing plenty of structure to balance the ripe fruit. It almost oozes across the palate, with savory hints of mocha and black olive lingering on the finish.
100% Marsanne. A smoky reductive note with bruised apple skin. Weight and power alongside waxy rounded chamomile-drenched deliciousness (not a technical term!). Layers of complexity and honeyed character and incredible intensity. (AC)