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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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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $471.41
Another truly flawless wine from this dream team is the 2018 Ermitage L’Ermite Blanc, which comes from a vineyard...
WA
100
JD
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...
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100
WA
98
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $414.86
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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: $676.99
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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White
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: $202.78
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
Bottle: $219.42
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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750ml - Case of 6
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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
WS
98
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750ml - Case of 6
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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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99
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98
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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
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $180.60
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Brilliant all the way, the 2020 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is a white readers should snatch up. All Marsanne...
JD
96
DC
95
Long-term Pre-Arrival
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1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $167.45
Another blockbuster that savvy readers need to buy up, the 2012 Saint Joseph les Granits Blanc is a drop-dead...
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95
WS
93

Bourbon Folle Blanche Marsanne Trebbiano

Bourbon has survived all manner of difficulties and restrictions to become one of the world’s best selling and most recognizable spirits. This unique and distinctly American whiskey came from humble origins, allowing poor farmers in the fields of Pennsylvania and Maryland to make a living from their crops. Prohibition, temperance movements and conflict continuously threatened to wipe Bourbon from existence, but today the drink is stronger than ever and has a global audience of millions. Over time, it has become more refined, and innovation and experimentation has set modern Bourbon apart from other whiskey styles.

Today, the Bourbon heartland and spiritual home is in Kentucky, where the whiskey producers of northern states traveled to seek a new home, free from oppressive tax regimes in the early days. It is now far from the rough and ready spirit of yesteryear, governed by strict rules and regulations to maintain standards and keep quality high. Modern Bourbon must be made from a mash which is no less than 51% and no more than 80% corn (the rest of the mash being made from rye, wheat or barley), giving it a distinctive sweetness, and it must be aged in charred, white oak casks with no other added ingredient but water.

The varied flavors of different Bourbons come about mainly from the different quantities of the permitted grains in the mash. A larger proportion of rye will produce a spicy, peppery whiskey, whereas more wheat will result in a smoother, more subtle drink. Ageing and water quality, as well as the expertise and vision of the craftsmen who distill it, will also make a difference, meaning there is much more to Bourbon than might first meet the eye.

The Trebbiano varietal grape is a white wine grape originally from Italy, but which has been successfully planted and cultivated in several European countries, as well as in many parts of the New World. Although it is widely grown around the world, it remains relatively unknown to wine drinkers, perhaps because it has mostly been used traditionally as a blending varietal, and for the production of fortified wines. However, it is used very well in parts of Tuscany and elsewhere in Italy for single variety wines, where it is prized for its elegant character and beautiful citrus flavors, alongside floral aromas and a great expression of terroir. As such, Trebbiano wines often hold interesting mineral notes, making them fascinating and complex white wines perfect for matching with a wide range of foods.