The Rhone’s World-Class Hermitage Wines

          The Hermitage hill as viewed from the hotel where Wine-Knows will be staying in 2024

This is the first in a three-part series on wines from the Northern Rhone.  Hermitage wines have a cult-like following by serious oenophiles.   Located just south of the city of Lyon, the small Hermitage appellation is situation on a perfectly positioned steep granite hill.  Drenched in full afternoon sunlight, this vine-draped slope overlooks the majestic Rhone River which cools during the valley's sizzling summers and provides warmth during its frosty winters.  The Hermitage hill is named after a tiny chapel which adorns its crest.  

                      The birds-eye view Hermitage chapel provides a perfect view for wine lovers 

The Hermitage appellation is known for its red wines which are made from the Syrah grape.   For Syrah devotees, Hermitage is the Holy Grail.   This is not surprising considering the Syrah grape comes from the Rhone region.  When young, these wines are rich and concentrated with bold tannins.  Their youthful profile is one of blackberry, dark cherry, spice and mineral.   Older Hermitage wines are elegant and complex with an earthy spectrum of leather, cocoa and coffee.  Because of their tannins, these opulent Hermitage can age for decades.

                         "La Chapelle" vineyard is one of the most coveted on the Hermitage hill

Hermitage is one of the few appellations that allows an addition of up to 15% of white grapes into its red wine.   Luscious Marsanne and Roussanne that are used to complete these perfect reds, adding interesting floral, stone fruit and citrus nuances.   Both of these white grapes are also used to produce the area’s rare white wine.   These hedonistic whites, known for their dense texture and a long finish, are highly coveted.

 

Hermitage’s red wines are the benchmark by which all other Syrah wines are measured.    For an up-close-and-personal experience with Hermitage wines, why not consider coming with Wine-Knows on its September harvest next year, 2024?  We have 3-4 openings left at this time.    

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There’s No Place Like “Rhone”

   

                     The Hermitage is one of the northern Rhone’s most famous appellations

France’s Rhone Valley is home to some of the world’s most epoch wines.  This wine region, a huge area with over 6,000 grape growers, is divided into two distinct sub-districts, the northern Rhone and the southern Rhone.  Today’s blog will focus on the northern sub-zone (next week we’ll discuss the southern area, home of the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines).  

The terroir is quite different between the northern and southern Rhone, and no doubt has played a role in splitting the two into diverse areas.   The Rhone’s northern wine district has a harsher climate with colder winters and hotter summers.  The northern district's terroir is also influenced by topography.  Milleniums-old glaciers moved through this area carving out dramatic hillsides.  These steep hills now provide good drainage, complex soils, and excellent sun exposure for vineyards.

Terroir dictates the type of grapes that are the most suitable.  In the northern Rhone, Syrah accounts for about 80% of the varietals.  Thought to have actually originated in the northern Rhone Valley, Syrah is the only red grape allowed by law in the northern sub-region’s wines.   These are cool climate Syrahs at their very best.  White grapes, including Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussane, are also important in the area.  Interestingly, in the northern Rhone, red and white grapes can be blended together to create a red wine.  Whites are used to round out the Syrah, bringing flavor and aromas into the mix, as well as softening the angular tannic structure of Syrah.   

Cote-Rotie and Hermitage are two of the most prestigious appellations within the northern Rhone.  Both of these premier areas allow the addition of white grapes into making of a red wines, however, their percentages of white used are often quite small.  These benchmark, complex and bold reds are frequently nearly 100% Syrah.

While most famous for its red wines, the northern Rhone also makes some drop-dead luscious whites.  They are rare and some of my favorites on planet earth.  A blend often of Marsanne and Roussane, they are pricey due to supply and demand.  These gems are definitely worth seeking out.

Tune in next week for the killer wines of the southern Rhone.