Maison Nicolas Perrin Ermitage Rouge - 2010
The history of Ermitage is very old and according to a number of books it goes back to the Romans. The local legend relates the story of an 13th century knight who, returning from a crusade, built a chapel at the top of a hill and lived there like a hermit, hence the name Ermitage. Returning from a trip to Ermitage in 1787, Thomas Jefferson, the American Ambassador in France, declared his admiration for this white wine “the best wine in the world, with no equal”. His comments on the red wines were just as praising “Full-bodied, dark purple with exquisite flavours…”.
The terroir is complex and varied with granite in parts but also rolled pebbles and calcareous soils. The wines produced in the locality of “Grandes Vignes” where the soils are dominated by granite, have a great minerality but also a nice tannin structure. This area represents 30% of our blend. The wines that we produce on the rolled pebbles (locality of “Greffieux”) are aromatically rich and complex. They correspond to the backbone of our wine and represent 60% of the blend.
Finally the calcareous soil in the locality of “Muret” brings elegance and finesse to the wine.
These 3 terroirs are very complementary and they each bring a different element to the final blend.
2010 started with a very cold temperatures and snowfall. Spring started early in April which was exceptionally hot which allowed a fast budburst. Then May the temperatures went down a bit and with some rain. Flowering was as usual at then end of May, beginning of June.
The months of July and August were beautiful. Mid-July temperatures reached peaks during the day but often the high temperatures were followed by rain in the evening, cooling down the vegetation. Sanitary state was perfect and maturities were quite late.
In September the temperatures lowered and the nights were cold allowing slow maturing of the grapes. Harvest started around September 25th.
Prestigious hill overlooking the Rhône river and the little village of Tain l’Hermitage. Located on the left bank of the Rhône, the vineyard is south facing and sheltered from the cold northern winds.
The grapes are cold-macerated before being fermented for 28 days with pumping-over at the beginning followed by punching-down towards the end.
Ageing in new oak (30%) and in steel (70%) for 15 months.
The colour is not as intense as in 2007.
The nose is very rich on notes of black and red fruit. The nose then turns more complex and intense.
IN the mouth the tannins appear quite powerful and need to be left to soften a bit.
On his youth, this wine develops nice and powerfull fruits aromas, which can be paired with red meat.
In few years, mushrooms and undergrowth secondary aromas, will match perfectly with games
Syrah : 100 %
This is densely packed with blackberry paste, roasted fig, blueberry pâte de fruit and linzer torte flavors, but they are defined and racy, with a strong graphite spine giving support and driving the finish, where anise and charcoal notes chime in. Shows lovely drive and persistence.
Wine Spectator Insider
, 94/100
, 2013-08-21
The 2010 Ermitage is gorgeous, with bright, sappy kirsch and blackberry fruit enlivened with violet and iron notes. The finish is juicy, mouthfilling and laced with finely-beaded acidity.
James Molesworth
Wine Spectator
, 2012-06-25
The 2010 Ermitage is a superb, medium to full-bodied effort that gives up that classic Hermitage density and concentration. Assorted black fruits,
spice, wild herbs and hints of meatiness (aka textbook Syrah) all flow from this beautifully done effort. Possessing notable freshness, excellent mid palate depth and a terrific finish, it will have 10-15 years or longevity.
A collaboration between the Perrin Family, of Beaucastel, and Nicolas Jaboulet, of the Jaboulet family in the northern Rhone, this lineup is made mostly from purchased grapes (The Perrin’s own some of the vineyards in Crozes), with the wines made using Beaucastel barrels in the north, and
blended at the Perrin Family winery in the south. They are all well-made, high quality efforts.
Wine Advocate
, 93/100
, 2013-12-16
Inky purple. Heady, exotically perfumed scents of dark berry compote, cherry-cola, incense and dried flowers. Sappy, penetrating red and dark berry flavors show impressive depth, with star anise and candied violet accents providing complexity. Finishes sweet, vibrant and long, with resonating spiciness and a sneaky note of apricot.
Josh Raynolds
International Wine Cellar
, 91/100
, 2012-04-02
While this wine comes out of the gate showing little but earth and dark fruit aromas, it lightens and develops more delineation with air, eventually revealing berry, plum and spice notes. Right now, the flavors are almost jammy, so purists may want to wait a few years before opening a bottle. Full-bodied, chewy and rich, this superripe Hermitage should age well for…
Wine Enthusiast
, 94/100
, 2014-09-01