
2005
Region
France › Rhône › Northern Rhône › Hermitage › Hermitage AOC
Type
red · still
Grapes
Syrah
Alcohol
14%
Volume
750 mL
Earthy black cherry and tobacco leaf set the tone, but it quickly deepens - dried herbs, pepper, a hint of charcuterie and iodine, then forest floor and old leather. There's even a whiff of pickles that oddly fits. It echoes something Stella would do - that quaffable and beautiful interplay of wildness and restraint. The tannins are already mature and the structure is there: firm, iron-laced, grounded. The finish is long, savoury, quietly arresting. Complex and delicious, no doubt about it.
Wow, what an unexpected delight. For a first encounter with Hermitage, this wine was a revelation - much lighter than anticipated, yet no less captivating. Its nose is a heady bouquet of night flowers mingling with the savoury allure of smoked meat, enveloped in dark fruit jam, toasted oak, and a hint of leather.
The palate surprises with a mineral elegance, deftly balancing its oakiness with the help of good acidity that adds a refreshing lift. As the journey concludes, a lingering sweetish aftertaste leaves behind notes of jammy splendour, enchanting and persistent. I find myself already yearning for another meeting with this beautifully crafted experience.