M. Chapoutier : Chante-Alouette 2017

The blended white Hermitage—the 2017 Hermitage Chante-Alouette—is a terrific wine this year, maybe the best I've ever tasted. Honeyed pear and citrus notes lead into a full-bodied, brassy-hued wine with a rich, velvety texture. It's lush, broad and mouthfilling, with a long, harmonious finish. While delicious now, expect it to close up within another year or two, only to reopen once it hits about age ten.

Intense verbena, honeysuckle and chamomile notes lead off here, followed quickly by vivacious yellow apple, quince and white peach flavors. They catch up soon enough, allowing the floral and fruit elements to entwine beautifully through the quinine-tinged finish. Drink now through 2035. 150 cases imported.

Initially restrained aromas of tart apple and smoke subside with aeration to reveal vibrant pear, quince and tangerine. Made from 100% Marsanne sourced from three different sites in Hermitage, it's opulent but fresh and etched by notes of walnut, pastry and dried ginger. Fermented and aged only partially in oak, it's an unusually precise expression of Hermitage that should gain complexity over the next decades.

Feeling a little closed at seven years of age, and starting to take on subtle petrol and green tea notes alongside the apricot fruit. Full bodied, rich, concentrated, assertive and powerful on the palate. Ends dry and savoury, with noble bitter and saline notes. Between two phases of maturity, so lacking harmony at the time of tasting, but should come together well.

Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. Fine aromas of honey and acacia blossom, tender white nougat, fresh ginger, touch of marzipan. Juicy, round and elegant, fine yellow mango note, discreet acidity, fine hint of caramel on the finish, salty taste, lingers, will benefit from bottle age. (2021-2035).

Slightly fresher than the 2016, the 2017 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc offers a beautiful bouquet of white flowers, citrus blossom, green almonds, and hints of tangerine. It's vibrant, medium to full-bodied, fresh, and crisp on the palate, with terrific purity as well as building richness. Brought up in 65% demi-muids, with the balance in stainless steel, it’s a classic, impeccably made Hermitage Blanc that will keep for 15+ years.

Complex, elegant, a well-structured and balanced wine, reflecting the magic of Hermitage, flavorful and deep and, above all, with a very bright future, alongside foie gras.

The juice doesn’t veer into stewed notes, nor into the vintage’s easy-going charm: with a fairly broad, rich palate, this wine is driven by a certain sense of precision. Well-balanced, it will be ready to drink sooner than the 2016.