Hermitage in the Rhône Valley: THE hill

Grand terroir 

“Terroir”: it’s the word on everyone’s lips. It describes the combination of climatology, exposure, soil, sub-soil, and, some would say, the efforts of the grower to enhance their expression… However, it's not quite so easy to pin down what is meant by “grand terroir”. How might we define it? A grand terroir would be one which puts its positive stamp on the wines, for example by influencing the varietal aspect of the grapes. It gives all the wines produced there a common hallmark. In the wine-making world, few terroirs enjoy this particular prestige. In France, there is one whose reputation extends far beyond our borders: Hermitage. 

Exposure, soils, and sectors 

Situated in the northern Rhône Valley, it occupies a hill with a southern exposure, overlooking the Rhône and the village of Tain-L’Hermitage. On these 137 hectares (339 acres), different geologies combine, with variations between the soils of the decomposed granite in the western section of the hill, and more recent formations from the Quarternary Period, more common in the eastern part. As a result, there are several distinct sector, like Les Bessards, where the wines are quite robust, Varogne, with its slightly more austere cuvées, and Les Greffieux, which produces delicate wines that don’t necessarily have the same aging potential as the others. 

Exceptional, in more way than one 

Despite these differences, all Hermitage wines share a rare elegance and a rare underlying freshness. Even more amazing is the fact that the Hermitage terroir has become as popular for its reds as for its whites. Syrah remains the iconic red grape variety – although a very small quantity of white grapes can sometimes be blended with it – whilst Marsanne, which enjoys the chalkiest ground, is the dominant white variety, producing wines with impressive longevity. The grandeur of the Hermitage terroir(s) is universally acknowledged. And it comes at a price! No young winemaker could imagine going into business in this region without a sponsor – here, a hectare (2.5 acres) of vines goes for millions of euros. Nothing is for sale anyway! And with the most expensive bottles often stretching to hundreds, the average consumer would struggle to afford its wines, too. Exceptional wine at exceptional prices!