Chapoutier   Ermitage Cuvee de lOree

2001 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree

By Chapoutier

2001 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier, Rhone

Embarking on the invigorating journey that is the tasting of the 2001 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier encapsulates the essence of a trip down the enchanting roads of France's Rhone valley. Revel in the sophisticated pleasure that can only derive from a wine that has been meticulously produced by masters like Chapoutier, a vineyard story woven with threads of rich history and time-honoured winemaking expertise.

 

Asterism of Aromas, a Gateway to Investment

The 2001 iteration of the Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree tells an extraordinary tale of a vintage that commanded patience and expertise, with its late harvest and challenging weather conditions. Yet, in the hands of producers like Chapoutier, these distinctive aspects resulted in a remarkable wine known for its complexity and age-worthiness.

Upon uncorking, experience an exhilarating explosion of eloquent eau-de-vie of apricot, honeyed nutshell and quince flavours. The wines' celestial character pivots around an exquisite core of minerality drawn from unique soil rich in granite — decidedly a signature trait of Rhone's esteemed Hermitage hillside.

 

Golden Year graced by the Gods

The vintage year 2001 rose like a phoenix for Rhone, etching its mark in the annals of wine history. Amidst roller-coaster weather patterns creating significant suspense, emerged this Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree — an artful testament to resilience and terroir-borne perfection.

Rhone's singular mix of sun-kissed Mediterranean climate with hilly altitudinal influences imparted a flavourful profundity into this 2001 vintage. It's a ringing endorsement of the monumental power that deft adaptation to climatic idiosyncrasies can bring to winemaking virtuosos like Chapoutier.

Let the luxurious texture and layered symphony of the 2001 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier serenade your senses and be welcomed into a world of oenological masterclass. As you savor this investment, remember that each sip is not only an indulgence in fine wine but a salute to meticulous viticulture shovelled deep in resilient terroir.

Current market price

£1,440.00

12x75cl

Highest score

94

POP score

102.86

Scores and tasting notes

93-95

The great American patriot and wine connoisseur Thomas Jefferson called Hermitage “the single greatest white wine of France.” Slightly lower-keyed, but still prodigious, the 2001 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree does not possess the muscle, volume, or weight of the 2000, but it is a beautifully etched, elegant, intensely mineral wine offering hints of white flowers, citrus oils, and earth in its dense, full-bodied, chewy personality. Like its older sibling, it will be delicious in its first 3-4 years of life, then close down, to re-emerge 10-12 years later. It will last for three decades or more. These uncompromising offerings from a young genius are not meant for consumers who want something to drink immediately. They are the essence of bio-dynamically farmed vineyard sites cropped incredibly low, given extended fermentations with indigenous yeasts, and rarely touched until they go into the bottle unfined and unfiltered. In most vintages, the wines are not even racked off their lees, which only adds to their natural style. These are truly remarkable wines, but for most readers, patience is the operative rule as they generally need a good 8-10 years to strut their stuff. Once moribund, over the last 12 years, this firm has become one of the reference points for nearly all the Rhone Valley appellations since the brash yet immensely talented Michel Chapoutier took over in the late eighties. The single vineyard offerings are as good as Rhone Valley wines can be. Moreover, Chapoutier continues to upgrade the quality of those wines offered in more significant quantities than the 500 or so cases each of the single vineyard offerings. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2003

Vintage performance