Hermitage Flashcards
Styles and Encépagement for Hermitage
Blanc: Marsanne and/or Roussanne
Rouge: Syrah plus a max. 15% combined Marsanne and Roussanne
Vin de Paille (Blanc): Marsanne and/or Roussanne
Assemblage for Hermitage reds?
Min. 85% Syrah for red wines
Principal Soils for Hermitage?
granite with topsoils of mica, schist and gneiss
When was Hermitage established as an AOP?
1937
3 producers in Hermitage?
Jamet, Guigal, Chapoutier, René Rostaing, Bernard Faurie
Name 10 major Lieux dits for Hermitage
Les Grandes Vignes L'Hermite Varogne Les Vercandières Les Bessards Les Diognières Les Beaumes Le Méal Les Murets La Croix Péleat Les Rocoules La Pierelle Les Greffieux Maison Blanche L'Homme Torras et las Garennes
The AOC vineyard is spread over three local authority areas in the Drôme; name them.
Tail-l’Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Larnage, on the left-bank of the Rhône..
Describe the climate of Hermitage
Mediterranean climate. Sheltered from northerly winds, most of the hillsides are south-facing and receive good exposure to the sun.
Describe the soils of Hermitage
composed of granite sands covered with mica schist and gneiss, as well as beaches of round alluvial stones. The Hermitage hill can be divided into three sections, starting in the west, on the left-bank. The first section is the Bessards: a terroir with very uneven granite soils. This is mainly considered to be the terroir that produces the appellaton’s reds. It is also the hillside where the Hermitage is found, as well as the famous Hermite’s vineyard.
Then, the central part is split in two: on the upper section, known as Méal, lies the limestone and silica soil with a pebbly surface. It produces the appellation’s most sun-kissed wines as it is south-facing. At the base, known as Greffieux, the earth, resulting from gulley erosion, is more fertile.
Finally, the Murets and Dionniers areas are covered in clay soil on a much steeper incline. The east is known as a good white wine producing terroir
What is the production (in percentages) of red and white grapes in Hermitage?
76%
RED
24%
WHITE
Give a brief history of Hermitage
Known as “Vienne wine” (like that of Côte-Rôtie), the Hermitage’s wines were later known as “St Christopher’s hill wines”, after the chapel dedicated to the Saint. It would seem that the name “Hermitage” appeared only later, in the 17th century, in memory of the knight Henri Gaspard de Sterimberg who, upon his return from the Albigenisan Crusades, decided to live as a hermit on the hill granted to him by Anne of Castille, the Queen of Spain. He replanted the vineyard that would become known as first Ermitage, and then Hermitage.
This was only the beginning of its success: under the reign of Louis XIV, Hermitage was the preferred wine of the Tsars of Russia… Famous lovers of the wine form a formidable list that includes notables such as Henry IV, Boileau, Louis XIII and Louis XIV, Nicolas II, and Alexandre Dumas. Hermitage was awarded AOC status in 1937.
Describe the major styles of wines in Hermitage
Red wine, made using Syrah, can contain up to 15% Roussanne and Marsanne, and is a deep ruby red colour. As it ages, this strong wine, meaty and robust, acquires a surprising roundness and flexibility. Ageing incredibly well, the best vintages become finer and more harmonious over time, developing exquisite notes of violet, spices, and blackcurrant.
The Hermitage white wines, made from Marsanne and Roussane grapes, display a wonderful yellow colour and are of a rare smoothness. They develop the creamy, honeyed aromas of hazelnut, peach, and apricot, and may even reveal scents of iris, narcissus, and linden. They can be kept for decades.
The straw wines are mostly made from very old Marsanne vines, whose grapes are harvested at the peak of their ripeness. They display a deep straw-yellow colour, and produce velvety aromas of nuts, honey, and caramel with a hint of spice
PRODUCTION SURFACE AREA in Hermitage
136 hectares
TOTAL PRODUCTION IN 2013 in Hermitage
3 640 hl
AVERAGE YIELD ACHIEVED in Hermitage
27 hl/ha
