Maison M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 2000 is a white Hermitage from old-vine Marsanne on the l'Orée lieu-dit on the western end of the Hermitage hill, presented in 6.0-litre Imperial format. Imperial-format whites from single-vineyard Hermitage sites are produced only in tiny quantities for ceremonial service.
About This Wine
De L'Orée sits on the western end of the Hermitage hill, where decomposed-granite and sandier soils give the white Marsanne its characteristic texture. The Chapoutier holding comes from old Marsanne vines, farmed biodynamically under the maison's Demeter-certified regime. The 2000 vintage in the northern Rhône produced concentrated, ageworthy whites across the Hermitage hill. Fruit is fermented and aged in oak in the Chapoutier tradition. Imperial format (6 litres) is reserved for the most serious single-vineyard bottlings and is bottled only in small quantities.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Generous Marsanne with honeyed pear, quince, beeswax, chamomile and a soft mineral lift.
- Palate: Layered and oily in texture, with ripe acidity beneath and a long mineral close.
- Finish: Persistent and gently complex, with the generosity of a mature white Hermitage.
Serving & Food
Stand the bottle upright for 30 minutes, then chill to 12 to 13 degrees and pour into generous white-wine glasses. Pair with a roast guinea fowl with morels, a grilled lobster or a slice of aged Comté.
How to Enjoy
Open well ahead, give the wine air in the glass, and serve alongside the main course.
Product Details
Producer: Maison M. Chapoutier
Appellation: Hermitage AOC
Region: Tain-l'Hermitage, Northern Rhône, France
Vintage: 2000
Grape: Marsanne
Volume: 6.0L (Imperial)
About the Winery
Maison M. Chapoutier's De L'Orée cuvée is drawn from old Marsanne vines on the l'Orée lieu-dit on the western end of the Hermitage hill, where decomposed-granite soils give the wine its characteristic texture. The wine is fermented and aged in oak in the Chapoutier tradition. Old-vine Marsanne from this site produces a rich, ageworthy white Hermitage.
Maison M. Chapoutier is the Tain-l'Hermitage négociant-grower founded in 1808 and now the largest landowner on the Hermitage hill. Under Michel Chapoutier the maison converted its vineyards to biodynamic farming in 1991, broke its reds into single-parcel Sélections Parcellaires and introduced braille text on the labels for the blind singer Maurice de La Sizeranne. The 1999 vintage of the white Marsanne-based Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée is from old vines on the l'Orée lieu-dit on the western end of the Hermitage hill.