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Wine Description
The Story
Ermitage wines possess a rich historical past.
They were appreciated as early on as Roman times when they were enjoyed (as well as Côte Rotie wines) under the name of " Vienne wines "and were later to be called " Saint Christopher's hillside wines " because of a chapel there bearing the saint's name. They were also to be known of as " Tournon wines ".
The name of Ermitage probably first appeared in the XVIIth Century in memory of Henry Gaspard, a knight from Stérimberg : who having come back from the Crusades (in the XIIIth Century) and tired of waging war, lived as a hermite on a hillside which had been given to him by Anne of Castille, Queen of Spain.
There he planted a vineyard. Alexander Dumas as well as the Tsar Nicholas II are among the many connoisseurs of this particularly highly estimated wine.
The eponymous vineyard grows on very poor granitic and shallow soils surrounding the chapel of "Ermite" at the top of the hill of Hermitage. The vineyard's elevated position, over 200 metres, allows long ripening at the end of the growing season, and its loess soils provide excellent drainage for rainwater. The age of the vines averages over 80 years. This wine is the most individual statement in the Hermitage appellation, and the most prized for followers of M. Chapoutier's grandest of crus; L'Ermite traditionally produces the most elegant and aromatic Hermitage. It has powerful tannins, smoky notes and black pepper - the perfect expression of Syrah grown on granite soils.
Grape variety
Syrah from 80 year old vines.
Soil
Very poor granite soils, located at the top of the hermitage hill, around the chapel, in a place called the Ermite.
Harvesting
The harvest which is 100% destemmed, is matured in concrete tanks. Fermentation lasts around 4 weeks, to obtain soft and stable tannins to keep the wine for a very long time. The temperature does not exceed 32°C to enable good quality extraction. To make this wine, only the free-run juice is used.
Vinification
The harvest which is 100 % destemmed is matured in a cement vat. Maceration lasts from 5 to 6 weeks. The temperature does not exceed 32°C to enable good quality extraction.
Maturing
After alcoholic and malolactic fermentation the wine is transferred immediately into new casks to be matured from 14 to 18 months. The wine is unfiltered and unfined.
Ageing potential: +25 years
Matching food
Roast beef. Large game.