The Hermitage Rouge Monier of the Sizerrane is an assemblage of Bessards, Meal and Greffieux. "Leading off the Hermitage releases, the 2014 Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne sports a deep ruby/purple color to go with impressive notes of blackcurrants, cassis, charcoal and olive characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, it has excellent richness and depth, sweet tannin and a charming, forward style." Robert PARKER - 92/100
This wine is made exclusively from the "Les Grandes Vignes" plot situated at the peak of the Hermitage hillside at around 325 m altitude. This primarily south-facing plot forms an amphitheatre of semicircular vine terraces. In the very best years, production is limited to 1,800 to 2,000 bottles. This wine is made exclusively from the Syrah varietal. The wine is de-vatted before being racked and transferred to the barrels. The malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrel and is followed by 20 months of closely-monitored ageing. To ensure that the wine retains its character, finesse and subtlety, only wood with a fine and extra-fine grain is selected for the barrels. For the same reasons, the percentage of new oak is kept to no more than 30 or 40%.
This wine is a blend from 3 different terroirs : L'Ermite, le Sabot, and the famed plot, les Bessards. Maturation is done in French oak barrels. On each vintage, the notes of wood are the result of precise and variable proportion between new barrels and barrels which have already held one wine, and it is adapted according to each vintage tannic & tasting characteristics. The colour shows brilliant, deep red hues. The nose is powerful and complex, expressing blackberries, spices and leather. On the palate, "Domaine des Tourettes" is fi rm but silky, with a tightly-knit tannic structure that is the hallmark of wines that have a great future.
