Hermitage, 2011
A reserved brooding nose, the palate exhibits excellent floral flavours and is packed with vivid fruit. Ripe, unctuous and increasingly generous as the wine aerates; ripe cherry, plum liqueur and crème de mûre characteristics with hints of sloe. A beauty. A de-stalked Hermitage blend from several parcels including Bessards, aged in large demi-muid casks with usually less than 20% new oak.
critic reviews
Glass-staining ruby. Spicy cherry pit and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by notes of star anise and violet, with a touch of smokiness building in the glass. Fleshy and gently sweet, with ripe cassis and blueberry flavors complemented by deeper-pitched suggestions of licorice and bitter chocolate. Shows very good clarity and lift on the finish, which is framed by smooth, even tannins that fold easily into the wine's fruit.