April 11, 2024 - Limited notes taken. Opened three hours in advance. Drank a small glass. Pours a pale gold. Explosive aromas of baked apple, poached pear, honeysuckle, beeswax, and charred orange peel. Dense, concentrated, and richly textured.
March 29, 2024 - The brief was for an "oily" white, and this broadly delivered. Very aromatic, heady nose, with some jasmine. Buttery on the palate, but with a bitter bite towards the long finish. It's tasty, but I'd find it hard to drink more than a glass or two given the intensity.
January 29, 2023 - Fantastic nose, which didn’t quite deliver on the palate yet. Will leave my others for a while.
January 21, 2021 - Ken's High Flying Hermitage (Ken's Castle): This suffered against the other wines, nice wine but outclassed by its competition. Somewhat earthy more muted nose than the others in this lineup, some honeydew melon, marzipan and earthy notes on the nose, Decent finish. A nice wine that would be appreciated on any evening. Finished 5 out of 5.
June 11, 2018 - Delas Hermitage Masterclass with Steven Spurrier (Handford Wines, London): Interesting to try this vs the 2016 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc Les Launes ( Papies 87) as it shows so much more of everything and frames how good the wine is. Darker in color, richer color we might say. Buttery feel, a lot more oak here, honey touches, nutty, good ripeness and acidity . Touch exotic on the palate too, rich but in balance and harmony, Very solid 91 easily can age more but we are not believers in over-aged Rhone whites.
March 24, 2018 - From 1ha plot on the Hermitage hill, these rarities are not cheap, but are such rewarding when have one. This is full bodied , flowery, oily, mineral - surprisingly approachable today, so hard to resists.