M. Chapoutier Hermitage L’Ermite Blanc 2025

M. Chapoutier was founded in 1808 and is run by Michel Chapoutier, an early and committed advocate of biodynamic farming. This white comes from a single plot of Marsanne on the Hermitage hill in the northern Rhone, one of the most storied granite sites in France. The decomposed granite and stony soils drain fast and force the vines to root deep, giving fruit of real concentration, while the continental climate and steep southern exposure ripen the thick-skinned Marsanne fully. Ageing on the lees adds weight and a fine texture, as the spent yeast cells break down and release mannoproteins that round out the mid-palate and carry the wine's length. Marsanne is naturally low in acid and high in extract, so the style is broad and mineral rather than sharp. The wine is golden in the glass, with white peach, honey and white flowers on the nose over beeswax and toasted almond. The palate is full and creamy, held together by a saline, stony finish. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees, ideally from a larger glass.