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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $739.82
The wine of the vintage (and I’ll include all the wines of the northern Rhône, red and white in that grouping) is...
WA
100
WS
97
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $458.28
I’ve probably rated the L'Ermite Blanc a perfect score more times than any other wine out there, and the 2015...
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100
JD
100
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1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $1253.73
The best of the lineup in 2016 is unquestionably the 2016 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which is all Marsanne from the...
JD
100
WA
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $564.95
The best of the lineup in 2016 is unquestionably the 2016 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which is all Marsanne from the...
JD
100
WA
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $638.77
As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases...
WA
100
DC
98
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Another truly flawless wine from this dream team is the 2018 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which comes from a vineyard...
WA
100
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100
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750ml - Case of 6
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Another perfect wine in the lineup is the 2020 Ermitage L'Ermite Blanc, and white wine simply doesn’t get any...
JD
100
WA
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $414.99
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Perhaps the most surprising thing is how spectacular the 2002 whites are from Michel Chapoutier. Because of space...
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94
VM
94
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750ml - Case of 6
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Just as good as the de l’Orée, but in a very different style, the medium gold-hued 2006 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc...
WA
99
JD
99
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $202.20
I was shocked by the 2007 Ermitage le Meal Blanc and from a vintage that yielded mostly forward, supple and...
WA
99
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White
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $674.63
From a warm site and a hot vintage, the 2009 Ermitage le Meal Blanc was harvested on the August 28, and aged in 100%...
WA
99
WS
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $221.95
From a warm site and a hot vintage, the 2009 Ermitage le Meal Blanc was harvested on the August 28, and aged in 100%...
WA
99
WS
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $203.06
Slightly more reserved now than on release, the 2012 Ermitage le Meal Blanc offers tons of honeyed minerality,...
WA
97
WS
96
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750ml - Case of 6
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Similar in style to the hedonistically-styled Cuvee de l’Orée (especially when compared to the structured,...
WA
97
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95
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $269.90
Another perfect wine is the 2015 Ermitage le Meal Blanc. The most decadent, unctuous and layered in the lineup, with...
WA
100
WS
98
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750ml - Case of 6
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Similarly colored, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc comes from a warmer terroir of pebbly and more loess soils and...
JD
97
DC
96
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The 2017 Ermitage le Meal Blanc starts with refined notes of crushed stone and pencil shavings that move into a...
WA
98
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98
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97-99 Is le Méal the most complex and complete lieu-dit on Hermitage, when considering both red and white wines? The...
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750ml - Case of 6
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I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve...
JD
100
JS
98

Gewurztraminer Malagousia Marsanne Mencia

Gewurztraminer is renowned for being a particularly tricky grape varietal to grow and cultivate, but is one which plenty of wineries persevere with due to its unique properties and excellent flavors The vines themselves are highly robust, and can even be unruly when in the correct type of soil, but they cannot grow well in terroirs which contain chalk or other similar components. They are also extremely susceptible to a wide range of diseases and rot, and due to their early budding and fruiting, they cannot survive frost. However, despite these problems, in cooler climates and on the right terroir, the Gewurztraminer grape varietal produces wonderful results quite unlike any other vine. The pink grapes are packed full of elegant and sweet flavors, their relatively high sugar content offering a light sweetness alongside floral notes, perfumed and aromatic aromas, and a distinctive taste of lychees.

If you're looking for a Greek white wine packed full of interesting character and a wide range of unique and surprising aromas, then the wines made from the Malagousia grape varietal are unlikely to disappoint. Although this grape is said to have originated in and around Nafpaktos, in Western Greece, it is now most commonly grown, cultivated and processed in Greek Macedonia, where it is used to make high quality white wines of a highly aromatic nature. Indeed, Malagousia is renowned for producing wines which are full of unusual aromas, with many wines holding traces of jasmine, mint, citrus and exotic fruits, and occasionally a whole lot more.

It was the famous Greek wine maker Gerovassiliou who was said to be the first to experiment with the Malagousia grapes, which were previously used mainly by smallholders and families to produce simple house wines. Gerovassiliou recognized that Malagousia had the potential and the characteristics necessary for producing excellent quality wines, and before long, vineyards were being planted across Macedonia, the Peloponnese and Attica. Today, wines made with the Malagousia grapes tend to be full bodied, with a noticeable tannin content elegantly interplaying with the mellow, medium acidity of the wine. Such roundness allows all of these interesting and exciting flavors and aromas come forth, making for a truly fascinating and unique wine.

Additional Information on Greek Wines


Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?