Description
Review by: Robert Parker
Wine Advocate: Issue 175, February 2008
Rating: 98 points
Drink now – 2013
Chapoutier’s line-up of single vineyard white Ermitages, all from mid- to upper slopes of that small appellation, are prodigious wines. I have been following them since he first introduced L’Oree in 1991, and they are sensational to drink in their first 4-5 years, then seem to go into a rather bizarre oxidized stage that can last for 7-8 years, and then they re-emerge as something even more complex. The one thing I never understand is how the color sometimes actually lightens as they age, which makes no sense to me whatsoever, although I suspect there must be some scientific explanation. The 2005 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree is a spectacular wine, with notes of nectarine, quince, honeyed hazelnuts, honeysuckle, and an almost exotic note buttressed by excellent acidity and no notice of any oak. The wine has prodigious richness and a full-bodied intensity that needs to be tasted to be believed. This is stunning stuff that should drink well for 50 or more years, but you can drink it over the next 4-5 years or forget it for 12-15. My aging curve on all of these single-vineyard wines is pretty much the same, and these are very strong vintages with higher acidity than 2005.
Review by: James Molesworth
Wine Spectator: Issue Web Only 2008
Rating: 96 points
Drink 2010 – 2025
Gushes with creamy textured, superripe layers of fig, green almond, pear and Cavaillon melon, all carried by well-imbedded acidity. Long, driving finish pumps out additional hints of mango and green plum. Best from 2010 through 2025. 770 cases made.
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