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It is not in our nature to be pessimistic. Even less to be alarmist. But the strength of the situation is imposed us : the French Vineyard suffers head-on the effects of climate change. It is not an isolated case. Obviously. Simply, we are, here, in a position to take the measure of this alteration, vintage after vintage ...
2019 vintage was marked by an extreme drought. Between April and September, the Vineyards did not benefit from any serious rain. The little water that fell would evaporate before it had even moistened the soil. To add to the anticipated catastrophe, June broke heat records.
The disaster, considering volumes or quality, could only be major. Yes, but... But the Vines, and especially the old Vines, are capable of resistance, of resilience, which impose respect…We can but watch. And humbly admire this plant which strives to adapt... And we are shaken at the idea that, one day, the current upheavals will exceed the permissible thresholds, and that our wonderful Grape varieties may be forced to fade...
Finally, harvest time came… No water in the soils. Barely a few drops… And this was the moment when Mother Nature gave a little help ! In mid-September, salvaging rains - some twenty millimetres - completely changed the face of the Vintage. The Vines, that lack of water and strong heats had stressed, relaxed, and the phenolic maturities were triggered...A winning bet for the Vignerons who made the choice of being patient ! But, how not to wonder, when “miracles” appear as more and more requisite “ingredients” with each new vintage... ?
Paradoxically, white wines display beautiful freshness of aromas and taste. Exquisite balances harmonize the underlying concentration… Minerality, highlighted by tailored healthy cultural practices, structures the Wines. The reds are built, dense and deep. A synthesis between the 2007 and 2016 Vintages. And thus, in the end, 2019 will probably be valued as one of the “Legend Vintages”…
Pierrelles, Beaume, Murets, La Croix
Ageing12 month in barrels et 12 month in foudre Stockinger
14°C
Decant 2 hours before tasting.
14%
BottlingWithout fining and light filtration.
CépagesMarsanne : 80 % Roussanne : 20 %
Classic notes of quince, crushed stone, honeysuckle, toasted bread, marzipan, and white flowers emerge from the 2019 Hermitage Blanc, a rich, full-bodied white with a dense mid-palate, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is head-turning stuff that has some up-front approachability, yet its tight, backward, concentrated core of fruit suggests that 2-3 years of bottle age are warranted, and it's going to keep for 30 years or more.
Jeb Dunnuck
, 97/100
, 2021-05-03