Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc, Maison M. Chapoutier 2021

The nose is like an essence of Mirabelle plums that pulls you into its tight inner orbit like a huge yellow star. This starts so quietly, but expands and expands as it flows over your palate in a way that’s not quite like any other white Rhone I can remember. How can a wine with such gigantic concentration have such perfect balance? The most amazing thing is the way the toasty richness interacts with the primal stony side of the wine: two faces of the same coin. Limited production. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Not yet bottled (this cuvée always sees a slightly longer élevage), the 2021 Ermitage L'Ermite Blanc comes from a mix of limestone and granite soils and is still resting in 25% new demi-muids. If there's a white of the vintage, this might be it. Honeyed lemons, quince, mango, and a liqueur of rocks-like minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, deep, concentrated, and pure, with an undeniable salinity on the finish. As usual, this tight, focused, and backward Hermitage needs at least 3-4 years of bottle age.

The 2021 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc was tasted one month prior to bottling, hence the parenthetical rating. Scents of crushed stone accent notes of apricot, pineapple and lime on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied. In the mouth, this is straight, almost severe; it tells you when to jump and how high, with zesty, briny notes lingering long on the finish.