2015 Domaine du Colombier Hermitage

• By Josh Raynolds
  '16 vs. '15 Northern Rhône: Heads You Win, Tails You Win (Apr 2018), 4/18/2018, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Domaine Du Colombier Hermitage Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  France, Northern Rhône: The Blockbuster 2015s and Elegant 2016s, 1/24/2018, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Domaine Du Colombier Hermitage) Login and sign up and see review text.

Decanter

• By Panel Tasting
  Northern Rhone 2015 PT Feb 2018, 10/31/2017, (See more on Decanter...)

  (Domaine du Colombier, Hermitage, Rhône, France, Red) Login and subscribe to see review text.

JancisRobinson.com

• By Jancis Robinson, MW
  10/17/2016, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...)

  (Dom du Colombier Hermitage Red) Subscribe to see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Hermitage Two Ways, 5/23/2018

  (Domaine du Colombier Hermitage) Hello friends. These past few years, we have come close to cornering the Seattle market for the lovely Northern Rhone wines of Domaine du Colombier, and this year, we have access to the memorable 2015 vintage. Colombier was founded in 1929, and for most of their existence sold their fruit to negociants. Their biggest customer was none other than Guigal. Then in 1992, the family decided to begin estate-bottling their own wines, and since then, they’ve risen to become one of the great under-the-radar estates of the region. Well, mostly under the radar. Here’s Robert Parker himself introducing the estate in late 2012: Wine Advocate (Robert Parker): Domaine du Colombier is one of the most underrated estates in the Northern Rhone. Proprietor Viale merits more attention from wine writers, critics, bloggers, etc. given the quality of wines he is producing. Moreover, this is one of the few family-owned domaines producing Hermitage, not to mention their splendid Crozes-Hermitage. And then here’s Jeb Dunnuck writing in Advocate more recently: Covering roughly 13 hectares in Crozes Hermitage (mostly around the villages of Mercurol and Tain) and just under two hectares in Hermitage, the wines from this domaine see a traditional vinification followed by aging mostly in older demi-muids, with new oak kept to around 20% for most of the cuvees. The wines are classic, textbook examples of their appellations and should not be missed. The fact that they can represent good value is just icing on the cake. Because our import partner is direct-importing these into Seattle, we’re also able to offer outstanding pricing on both the entry level Crozes and the crown jewel Hermitage:Release price: $80; Wine-Searcher range: $73-$80. Only a handful of cases are imported into Seattle each year, and we purchased the entire remaining lot, so this wine is socked away in the warehouse and ready for immediate pickup/shipping post-allocation. Hermitage is one of the true beating hearts of Syrah in the world. A tiny AOC (345 acres; by comparison, Cote Rotie is 550 acres) contained on a single hill (located here), it produces wines that are as difficult to source as they are hauntingly beautiful. Colombier’s 2015 vintage Hermitage is wild, both for its deep glass-staining color and its evocative savory-fruity nose, with maple-dipped bacon notes complicating a core of black cherry fruit. The palate impact is crazy for Hermitage and speaks to what an unusual vintage this is. It could be confused for a new-world wine in its fruit impact, and to see that paired with all of Hermitage’s signature savory meaty notes is deeply exciting. Where the Crozes is softer, more inviting, more approachable, this is burly, structured, ageworthy. There is legit tannic heft here, the kind I would usually associate with thicker skinned grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. I could go on and on about this wine, but I really shouldn’t, considering the amount we have on hand and how much I hope a few bottles remain unsold for my personal stash.