September 1, 2023 - From a three liter and I gotta say this wine was just awesome. We drank it on the beach getting close to sunset with the perfect weather and a bunch of friends that we never get to see enough and then this wine that we have all loved for many years. I was a bit sad since we were meant to have the L'Ermite blanc but alas the bottle pulled for us was the wrong one and so a friend had to dive into his cellar for this. Drinks very well. The acid here is a bit more pronounced. Still some lovely floral and other flavors. One of those perfect moments that comes around every so often.
December 12, 2020 - Another Sat Night @ RV!: Yellow fruits, chrysanthemum, white flowers, honeysuckle, dried apricots, tinge of dried pineapples. Quite rounded and lively. Enjoyed this a lot tonight! 93/94
December 14, 2014 - Others' recent notes aside, I'm afraid to say that, to me, it's beyond its prime. It was kept in a good cellar by the same owner since bought retail in the 90's. It did open some after an hour or so, but, still, the fruit seemed faded. It is/was obviously a fine wine and really needs food for any kind of pleasure, to get the last bits of savor from it. If pushed, I'd say it was stony, minerally, and after an hour, a bit of honeysuckle on the nose. Drink up. No rating because it just seems done.
September 3, 2014 - Casual offline with Danny and Chris: Golden orange coloured. Waxy, rich lemon, spice and floral notes. Rich fruit on the palate, then a wave of acid that cleanses nicely. Holding up really well and shows both complexity and poise. Bottles will be variable at this stage, but this one was cracking.
June 20, 2014 - Experimented with the bottle - tasting it from 40 degrees to 70 degrees. Enjoyed it most in the 55 to 60 degree range. By 70 it was getting too sweeth. Minerals, oily texture, sweet lemons and oranges with notes of mellon. Nearly golden color.
January 21, 2014 - A truly interesting wine that took an hour to open up fully. Floral, melon and citrus nose. On the palate much of the same with modest sweetness, but a unique mineral and oil element to it that is unmistakable. Not a wine for everyone, but one that certain takes some thought to digest.
January 20, 2014 - A truly interesting wine that took an hour to open up fully. Floral, melon and citrus nose. On the palate much of the same with modest sweetness, but a unique mineral and oil element to it that is unmistakable. Not a wine for everyone, but one that certain takes some thought to digest.
February 11, 2011 - Absolutely incredible wine. This is the oldest Ermitage white I have tasted and by far the best. The nose, took me by surprise, it was what I would have expected from an aged alsace pinot gris... or similar. Apricot, a little burnt orange, floral, nothing like the 1999 or 2000 wine of the same name, it is when you taste it that the real character comes through, a lot of depth and a very soft smooth wine. It's younger generations are not as approachable. Flavours, well that again is amazing. It changed through the 1 or so hours that the bottle was open. somewhere between the butter and lemon of a Chabils and the initial flavours on teh nose of an Alsace PG. I will need to drink more of these, alongside the neuz du vin, to determine exactly what dominates. Just enjoy this wine. Start it at about 9 degrees and let it sit out, gradually warming to 13-15. It is a wonderful journey. Really really enjoyable and with still a few years to go I think.
January 15, 2011 - This was OK, but only OK; not really worth the expense or the seventeen-year wait. We decanted and followed it over a few hours. The color was light gold, and there was no hint of oxidation. Maybe more air would have helped. It seemed to pick up some interest towards the end, but not enough to change my mind. It lacked tension and structure.
September 14, 2010 - Hermitage dinner - Jaboulet La Chapelle and JL Chave (The Ledbury, London): Thick oily, lanolin-like, almost sweet - luxuriously textured - I'd like more energy