Chapoutier Le Meal Ermitage Tinto 2012

The Michel Chapoutier winery is a jewel of the Rhône Valley. It was founded in 1808 and is part of the history of the Côtes-du-Rhône. With the arrival of Michel Chapoutier in 1990, his leadership transformed the philosophy of winemaking in the Rhône. This philosophy is based on two basic principles: first, to seek out terroirs and get as close to them as possible, so much so that the plot becomes more important than the work of the winemaker. M. Chapoutier's viticulture is to reveal the terroir in the wine and this gives an incredible richness to the wines. Most of the wines from the Rhône are made from Syrah, and also Grenache, but M. Chapoutier's Syrah is different, it feels different. They work rigorously under the principles of biodynamics. M. Chapoutier has a very extensive line of wines and they all follow the same principle, the vintage year is left as is – no chaptalisation, no addition of yeasts or acidifiers. This wine is made exclusively from grapes from the Méal hillside. This hillside is made up of high terraces of boulders and clay. This is an Ermitage from old vines around fifty years old. The 2012 Ermitage le Meal is easily the most extroverted, decadent and voluptuous Hermitage from this team. From the limestone and warmest soils of the Hermitage hill, it exhibits incredible notes of cassis, blackberry, liquid violets, smoky earth and liquorice. Full-bodied, deeply fruity and incredibly sexy, yet it never puts it wrong, appearing weightless in the mouth and offering blockbuster length. I would happily drink this amazing Hermitage any time over the next two decades.(Robert Parker SIC) RP 99