2005 Ermitage l'Ermite
By Chapoutier
2005 Ermitage l'Ermite from Chapoutier, Rhone
The 2005 Ermitage l'Ermite from Chapoutier is an exceptional demonstration of both a remarkably unique vintage year and the enduring expertise of the original Rhone producer. This vintage stands tall within a memorable decade for wine investment, offering a robust blend of distinguished character and longevity.
Distinct Vintage Elegance
What distinguishes the 2005 vintage from Chapoutier is its incandescent expression of typicity from a favourable year in the Rhône Valley. The climatic conditions were near perfection, with ideal weather patterns allowing full ripeness of Syrah grapes that form the essence of Ermitage l’Ermite.
The 2005 vintage radiates youthful energy on release, only to age graciously revealing layers of complexity and maturity rooted in the expressive terroir unique to this part of Rhone. For a patient investor, watching this evolution in a bottle can be rather rewarding.
The Chapoutier Expertise
Supreme craftsmanship is met with nature’s generosity in each bottle from Chapoutier’s cellars. The devotion to bio-dynamics ensures that the singularity of each vineyard's rhythm is captured in every sip.
The intensity and purity of flavours in the 2005 Ermitage l'Ermite embody the skill of its makers. Expect deep notes of blackcurrants and violets intermingling with smoked meats and spice while subtle undertones of herbal complexity embellish its rich profile.
An Investment Level Wine To Be Remembered
The 2005 vintage is rightly cherished as one of the best to have emerged from Chapoutier’s cellars, making it a remarkable addition to any wine investment portfolio. Its promise of long-term ageing potential, coupled with outstanding critical appraisals, makes this an investment-grade specimen that offers the right balance of pleasure and profitability.
The 2005 Ermitage l'Ermite from Chapoutier is not merely a sensory experience, it is an exploration into the heart of Rhone showcasing the quintessence of its illustrious terroir, and henceforth establishing itself as an emblem of viticultural excellence and a substantial item for wine investment purposes.
Current market price
$4,490.00
12x75cl
Highest score
99
POP score
142.11
Scores and tasting notes
Lastly, from the very dome of the granite hill of Ermitage is the 2005 Ermitage l’Ermite. An extraordinarily powerful wine that probably needs 10-15 years in the bottle (last year I thought 20 was probably conservative), this is a 100-year wine and probably best appreciated by our descendants rather than anyone currently over the age of 30. Dense purple to the rim, with notes of crushed rock, charcoal, roasted meats, and enormous quantities of blue and black fruits, this wine is almost painfully rich and thick, with mouthsearing levels of tannin and zesty acidity. Monumental! Anticipated maturity: 2020-2080. With twenty vintages under his belt, Michel Chapoutier and his impressive winemaking staff go from strength to strength. These are among the world’s greatest wines, especially the single vineyard wines, many of which will last 50 or more years.The 2006 reds from Chapoutier display good acidity and freshness. If they lack the powerful tannic structures of the 2005s, and perhaps some of that vintage’s density, they are certainly not light wines. It is a vintage of finesse and concentration, but with considerable up-front charm. Again, 1991 is a useful historic reference. They are the perfect foil for those buying 2005s, which will require deferred gratification. The single-vineyard, or as Chapoutier calls them, the “Selections Parcellaires” wines, are all aged in small barrels, often 100% new oak, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Production is relatively small, with the tiniest cuvee, the Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres usually 200-325 cases, and the rest of the single-vineyard wines averaging around 480-625 cases. The largest is usually the St.-Joseph Les Granits or the Ermitage Le Pavillon, which can be as high as 1,000 or so cases in an abundant vintage. Again, the 2005s all exhibit the vintage’s density, tannic structure, and long-term aging potential. At the same time, the 2006s at Chapoutier remind me of 1991, initially an underrated vintage of wines with ideal balance. If they lack the pure power and structure of 2005, they are well-served by their purity and equilibrium. There are four single-vineyard cuvees of Ermitage. Production is small, running from about 275-300 cases of Les Greffieux, 480-500 of Le Meal, 800-1,100 for Le Pavillon, and 200-600 for L’Ermite Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 28 February 2008