2016 Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Aged 18 months in 30% demi-muids, the 2016 Hermitage comes from the Beaume and Diognières lieux-dits on Hermitage Hill and spent 18 months in 30% new demi-muids. Its saturated ruby/purple color is followed by a flamboyant, opulent wine that has more density and depth than most in the vintage. Black raspberries, olive tapenade, spring flowers, and crushed violet notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, rounded, sexy 2016 that has beautiful purity of fruit, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's another beautiful wine from this estate that doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Give this 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15 years (although it will keep longer). I continue to love the wines of owner/winemaker Florent Viale. This tiny Crozes-Hermitage estate covers roughly 13 hectares in Crozes and has a tiny parcel in Hermitage. These are classic, traditional wines that are destemmed and brought up in demi-muids, with new oak kept to around 20% for most cuvées.
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Looking better out of bottle than what I tasted out of barrel last year, Colombier's 2016 Hermitage features aromas of crushed stone, pencil shavings and cassis. Full-bodied, concentrated and intense without being overly tannic, it's finely balanced and long on the finish.
Intense, baked cherry fruit, spices and just a little violet character. Powerful but not with the most expressive flavour range, especially for the generous 2016 vintage. Needs more time to spread its wings, perhaps. It certainly doesn't lack the concentration to last. (RH)