2007 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree
By Chapoutier
2007 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier, Rhone
The 2007 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier encapsulates the sheer grandeur of the Rhone valley in the glass. This compelling vintage finely exhibits the rich climatic diversities and superior terroirs that Rhone enshrines. It impressively conveys through the glass why 2007, characterised by mild winter followed by a balmy spring and an extended sunny, dry spell in summer, is recalled with such reverence.
A dance between maturity and freshness
Experience the idiosyncrasies of 2007 with this brilliant expression of Roussanne. The prolonged dry season induced early maturation while the cool nights retained a bracing freshness in this indelible wine. Basking in this unique melange of nature's blessings, the Cuvee de l'Oree utilised this balance to evolve a fruitful intensity wrapped in persistent acidity.
Luxuriate in its complex orchestra of sun-ripened apricot and pear nuances, underlined with honeyed notes and enigmatic hint of minerality. The eloquent expressions of these flavours are a testament to Chapoutier's minimalist approach to winemaking, letting Mother Nature pen the script.
Grapes turned into gold - literally
No doubt harvested at optimal ripeness, these Roussanne grapes developed an almost golden colour both on vine and in bottle. With age, it unfurls into a gestural performance - a cascade of custard-apple sweetness and acidulous Granny Smith bite on stage with nutty undertones.
This spectacle makes for an investing exquisiteness. Power invigorated by elegance, roundness counterpoised with freshness - it constructs a framework that burns long and slow in the mouth, marking the 2007 vintage apart from its siblings.
Responding exquisitely to ageing, the 2007 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree from Chapoutier not only strings together a harmonious narrative of its terroir and climate today but promises an unfolding tale of extraordinary depth and complexity for the dedicated wine investor. This is Rhone's song, sung in liquid gold.
Current market price
£1,710.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
114
Scores and tasting notes
The 2007 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree reveals a light gold color as well as a rich nose of flowers intermixed with honeyed oranges, apricots, quince, and currants. Deep, full-bodied, and multidimensional, it should drink nicely for 30+ years. (Not yet released) While Michel Chapoutier produces some of the world’s greatest wines from single parcels of old vines spread throughout the northern and southern Rhone (see my ecstatic reviews of his 2007 and 2006 Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #179), he also has an impressive portfolio of value-priced wines that are often over-looked when this impressive producer is discussed. Following are some top-notch picks that all sell for exceptionally fair prices. Chapoutier has not achieved as great as success in Cornas as he has in the other northern Rhone appellations, although his Cornas wines get better with each vintage. There are four extraordinary single vineyard white wines, all of which are among the greatest dry white wines of the world. While all of them can be drunk young, they are meant for extended cellaring. Made from very small yields, they represent the essence of a varietal as well as a vineyard site. As the following notes demonstrate, 2006 was one of the greatest vintages for white wines at Chapoutier. The single vineyard selection parcellaire red wines range in production from 500 to nearly 1,000 cases. 2007 is a very good vintage for these selections, but 2006 has an edge. It is reminiscent of 1996 because of the wines’ freshness and acid levels, but Chapoutier’s 2006s are even more concentrated than his 1996s. Chapoutier’s four 2006 cuvees of single vineyard Hermitage are exquisite. Most of the yields were between 10 and 20 hectoliters per hectare, and the wines are extravagantly rich. The 2006 and 2007 luxury cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape Croix des Bois and Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac were reviewed in issue #179. They are all astounding wines, especially in 2007 Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 28 April 2009