Domaine Belle Blanc, Hermitage, France

蓓樂酒莊埃米塔日白葡萄酒

點擊次數(shù)：1456

A blend of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, the 2020 Hermitage Blanc—from a half-hectare parcel in Péleat— delivers layers of pear and melon, framed by toasted grain, cedar and vanilla. It's bold, full-bodied and flavorful, delivering concentrated pineapple, melon and guava flavors. The sense of balance here is somewhat tenuous, so the safe money is on drinking it over the near term, although I suspect a 20-year-old bottle from a cold cellar could really surprise. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

The only problem with Domaine Belle's 2019 Hermitage Blanc is that it is equaled in quality by their outstanding Crozes-Hermitage Roche Blanche bottling. Scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings accent ripe peach, pear and melon notes on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and concentrated with a stony undercurrent that suggests a certain degree of longevity. That's all capped by a long, harmonious finish. It's another in a series of outstanding white wines from this superb family domaine.

A 60-40 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Péléat, the 2018 Hermitage Blanc is a powerhouse white Hermitage. Barrel fermented and aged in two-thirds new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and broad, loaded with honeyed notes of pear, melon and citrus yet comes across as balanced, with a long, refreshing finish. Tasted blind on another occasion, I liked it less, finding it slightly tropical and confected and shorter on the finish, but otherwise similar (91 - 93).

Bottled only a week before I tasted it, Domaine Belle's 2017 Hermitage Blanc is a superb effort. Deep straw in color, it's a 60-40 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne, barrel fermented and aged in two-thirds new French oak. Hints of toasted cedar highlight ripe melon and pineapple aromas, leading into a rich, powerful, full-bodied palate. Big, expansive and layered, it delivers lovely trace notes of orange zest, dried spices and white pepper, lingering elegantly on the full-flavored finish.

Belle's white Hermitage comes mostly from the Péleat lieu-dit, with a small bit of Maison Blanche. The 2016 Hermitage Blanc is 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, all barrel-fermented. It offers up hints of toasted grain, honey and orange marmalade, along with savory spice notes. It's full-bodied, mouth-filling and long, seemingly capable of developing over a decade or so.