2022 Ermitage Collection Case (L’Ermite Blanc and Rouge, Le Méal Blanc and Rouge, De l’Orée Blanc and Les Greffieux Rouge: 6 x 75cl)
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Tasting notes
The Ermitage Blanc l’Ermite, the rarest white cuvée from Chapoutier, comes from a tiny 0.5-hectare plot situated at the top of the Hermitage hill, planted with old-vine Marsanne (some older than 100 years in age). It’s a real step up after Le Méal and De l’Orée, dialled up in terms of both density and complexity. It’s closer to Le Méal in style, but even more refined and elegant – an aristocratic wine. There’s rich, ripe fruit, but it’s in balance, with a salinity that comes through on the incredibly long finish. Very young, this will age for decades. The Ermitage Rouge L’Ermite, often referred as the jewel in the M. Chapoutier crown, comes from a three-hectare plot situated at the top of the Hermitage hill with 80-year-old vines on shallow, poor granitic soils. This is again a step up after Pavillon, deserving its place in the hierarchy of Crus. As with its white counterpart, it has everything dialled up – with density and complexity, retaining amazing balance. Really inky in colour, it’s more elegant, aristocratic, darker in fruit profile than the rest of the range, keeping freshness with that spicy, white-pepper notes. It’s a bigger wine, but the structure comes from silky tannins, and it’s got amazing length. The Ermitage Blanc Le Méal comes from a two-hectare plot of low-yielding old-vine Marsanne situated in the eponymous lieu-dit. Very different from De l’Orée, this is much more expressive. There’s great density on the palate and profound nose, with more floral notes and hints of honey beneath. There’s loads of energy, with the wine feeling both fresher and denser than De l’Orée, and more refined. It definitely needs food to express itself further. The Ermitage Rouge Le Méal comes from a 0.6-hectare parcel of Syrah planted on gravel and clay terraces. This south-facing plot is the sunniest terroir in the appellation. Even fresher on the nose than Les Greffieux, there are almost minty notes. At first the palate seems less complex than Les Greffieux, but it builds with black-fruit notes, ripe blackberries beautifully to finish with the saline notes that lingers on a long finish length. This is lovely – and will need cellaring to reveal its full potential, needing at least five years before you broach it. The Ermitage Blanc De l’Orée comes from a 3.5-hectare parcel situated in Les Murets, planted with 60-70-year-old Marsanne. The nose is aromatic yet a bit closed, leading on to a richer palate with apricot and a hint of marmalade. The fruit is generous, but it’s beautifully restrained – with nice acidity that complements the richness, giving it a backbone that drives the finish. The Ermitage Rouge Les Greffieux comes from a terroir at the bottom of the Hermitage hill, on a terrace formed of glacial alluvial deposits, creating soils with shingles and clay. There’s a lively freshness to the nose, full of crunchy red and blue fruit and floral notes. The palate opens with spicy, leading on to deeper notes of ripe berries. This is already dangerously approachable in comparison to the rest of the range. Very enjoyable, it’s one of the best examples of the cuvée in recent years. There’s a lovely, long finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Ermitage L'Ermite Blanc is closer in style to the de L’Orée with its tighter, more focused, backward style, although there’s more dry extract and concentration here. Crushed citrus, orange blossom, and incredible minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a dense, stacked mid-palate, high acidity, and a great finish. It's built for the cellar. As always, this comes from a lieu-dit located above the Le Meal lieu-dit and mostly decomposed granite (there’s a touch of limestone soils.) It’s still resting in 90% demi-muids, 25% being new. 96-98 Points Another wine that's only for those with patience, the 2022 Ermitage L'Ermite was 85% destemmed and vinified all in concrete tanks, with the élevage spanning 18 months in just 20% new French oak. Incredible aromatics of pure crème de cassis, burning embers, graphite, scorched earth, and liquid rock-like minerality all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, chiseled mouthfeel, flawless tannins, and sensational levels of concentration and extract. As with the other 2022s here, it stays tight, compact, and inward on the palate and is going to need bottle age. It's a heavenly wine in the making, though. 96-98 Points The 2022 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc is a bigger, richer effort, with voluptuous amounts of white peach, orange marmalade, stone fruits, and crushed stone-like minerality all soaring from the glass. Rich, full-bodied, and beautifully concentrated, with a gorgeous finish, it will already make your eyes roll back in your head, but I'd give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades. 98 Points From a lieu-dit that may have struggled slightly in the vintage, the 2022 Ermitage Le Méal has a pretty, perfumed, medium to full-bodied style as well as perfumed aromatics of black raspberries, roasted herbs, graphite, and floral notes. It doesn't have the density of a top vintage here, but it’s clearly a gorgeous wine and has finely polished tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. If it puts on weight over the coming year, the barrel score will seem low. 94-96 Points Leading off the top Hermitage Blanc, the 2022 Ermitage De L'Orée comes all from the limestone soils of the Les Murets lieu-dit and was raised mostly in demi-muids. It’s a fresher, more focused version compared to past vintages but it's still a beautifully concentrated, medium to full-bodied, impressive effort that has tons to love. Quince, honeyed stone fruits, crushed stone, and citrus oil all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with ample richness and depth, nicely integrated acidity, and just about flawless overall balance. It's going to gain a touch of weight over the coming year or two and should have two decades of overall longevity. 95 Points Leading off the Selection Parcellaire releases, the 2022 Ermitage Les Greffieux is a bigger, richer wine, offering full-bodied aromas and flavors of smoky black fruits, tobacco, graphite, and roasted herbs. It's a rich, meaty, broadly textured barrel sample that has building, firmer tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and one heck of a great finish. It doesn't have the finesse in its tannins of the Pavillon or L'Ermite, but this puppy brings tons of richness and depth. 95-97 Points
Vinified from old-vine Marsanne grapes grown at the top of Hermitage hill, the 2022 Ermitage Blanc L'Ermite is splendid. Vivid spring blossom and honeysuckle mingle with struck match, vanilla, melon, peach, pear and yellow apple. Medium- to full-bodied and quite concentrated, the 2022 captures freshness in this warm vintage remarkably well. It concludes with bright energy on the long-lasting finish. 94-96 Points The classy 2022 Ermitage L'Ermite wafts from the glass with intense red fruits, pencil shavings, crushed violets, tobacco leaves and cedar subtleties. Bundling tremendous energy on the full-bodied palate, the 2022 is packed with polished tannins and culminates with persistence on the complex finish-quite ambitious. 94-96 Points The terrific 2022 Ermitage Blanc Le Méal rushes out of the glass with a fragrant mélange of jasmine, lime zest, struck match, yellow apple, vanilla and pastry. Impacting the palate with astounding energy and focus, the 2022 showcases precision, refreshment and a vibrant core. The finish is deliciously sapid and leaves a lasting impression. This is an utterly captivating Le Méal, and I greatly anticipate tasting of the final wine. Kudos to the talented Clément Bärtschi and the whole team at Chapoutier. 96-98 Points The hauntingly floral 2022 Ermitage Le Méal bursts with prominent rose petal and violets alongside black cherry, graphite and cedar. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, it presents excellent persistence on the savory finish. If all comes together as it should, this will be an outstanding Le Méal built for the long haul. 93-95 Points The outstanding 2022 Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée is made from up to 70-year-old vines grown on the Les Murets lieu-dit. Pronounced flintstone, spring blossom, honeysuckle, cedar and vanilla are front and center. Ultra-refreshing, there's nothing overripe or tropical going on here. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered, the 2022 is a solid rendition of this iconic cuvée and concludes with persistence on the energetic finale. 94-96 Points Deep purple-colored, the layered 2022 Ermitage Les Greffieux dazzles with bright red fruits paired with spicy traces, earthy gradations and ferrous undertones. Medium- to full-bodied and concentrated, it delivers excellent persistence on the savory finish. I can't wait to taste it once bottled. 93-95 Points