M. Chapoutier Ermitage de l'Orée 2009 (750ml)
M. Chapoutier Ermitage de l'Orée 2009 (750ml)
100 Points
There are 477 cases of the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to insert in a blind tasting against the world’s greatest dry white wines, including Montrachet. The famous gout de petrol is there along with hints of citrus oil, wet steel, crushed rocks, quince, white currants, anise and honeysuckle. Very full, with off-the-charts intensity, this wine was fashioned from yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare (which is financial suicide) from 90 to 100-year old Marsanne vines. The result is an amazingly concentrated white wine that should drink well for 50+ years. As I have written many times, all of these wines are produced from rigidly cultivated, bio-dynamically managed vineyards. That has been the rule since Michel Chapoutier first took over this firm in the late 1980s. Now, with over 20 years of biodynamic viticulture under his belt, Chapoutier remains committed to this rather radical style of organic farming. He believes the effect is to reduce rot in damp, rainy vintages. Moreover, he has observed that after 10 to 15 years of biodynamic farming, the natural acids tend to be more vivid and the overall pH of the soils (as well as the wines) has dropped. Controversial, outspoken and brutally candid, Chapoutier, who suffers no fools, continues to admirably produce wines that are among the finest in the world and potentially the longest lived. Refusing to acidify, chaptalize, or touch the wines in any way, he clearly wants every wine to capture the very essence of its terroir and vintage personality. In this, he succeeds remarkably. No one has made more effort in resurrecting the once-forgotten backwater appellation of St.-Peray than Michel Chapoutier. Working in conjunction with the famed Michelin three-star restaurant family, the Pics, Chapoutier has produced a sensational 2010 Gamme Pic and Chapoutier St.-Peray, and the first single-vineyard St.-Peray, the 2010 Lieu-Dit Peyrolles St.-Peray, which is one of the greatest St.-Perays I have ever tasted. This appellation is all steep hillside vineyards planted in pure, decomposed granite soils, not dissimilar from Hermitage, but they are located on the other side of the Rhone, facing the city of Valence. The single-vineyard wines, or selections parcellaires, 2010 whites are absolutely amazing, with production levels ranging from 300 to 700 or 800 cases of each cuvee. These wines are for true connoisseurs, as they are expensive and meant for long, long evolutions, but they capture the essence of a vintage and terroir as well as any wines in the world. As for the selections parcellaires of 2010 reds, Chapoutier likes this vintage almost as much as 2009, but feels it is very different, emphasizing more acidity and minerality, whereas 2009 is a combination of pure power, concentration and great potential longevity. Michel Chapoutier considers the 2009s, which are all in bottle, to be among the greatest wines he has ever produced, equaling his finest wines of 2006, 2003, 1999, 1990 and 1989 (his debut year).
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 22 December 2011
Shipping & Delivery Policy
Shipping & Delivery Policy
Our Shipping & Delivery Policy
Yiannis Wine ships orders through FedEx. The shipping fees vary depending on where in the U.S your shipment is going. For any questions or concerns regarding shipment pricing and restrictions please feel free to contact us directly. We are able to ship to all but the following states: Utah, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. With some of these states, for example Alabama, we are able to ship to an ABC store nearest to you.
It is rare to have a shipment damaged during shipping, however, in the event you do receive a damaged delivery, please let us know. We will need pictures and proof of damage so that we can resolve your claim. Damaged claims will not be accepted without proof. We will replace the wine or issue a credit. The choice is yours!
Deliveries that contain alcohol REQUIRE AN ADULT SIGNATURE. You must be 21 or older to purchase and accept said deliveries.
We cannot ship to PO Boxes, APO/FPO addresses, or internationally.
Shipping fees are not refundable under any circumstances.
There is an additional charge to re-route orders already in transit.
Some items are removed from original packaging, and placed in protective shipping containers to ensure safe delivery.
While most orders are shipped the day they are placed. The demand for limited supplies will occasionally deplete our stock of a paticular product, in this case it will generally take an additional 1 - 2 business days to receive the product and fufill the order.
Although it is rare, if there was a packing error, we would like to resolve it for you! In the event that we shipped an incorrect item, we may ask you to hold on to those items and the exsisting packaging so that we can arrange for a return pick up. If you find that items are missing from your order, we are happy to assist you in reshipping the missing items or processing a credit for the missing item/items. We will provide a return label for incorrect items and credit will be processd upon the return of the item to the warehouse. Reshipment of the correct items will be at no extra charge.
Occasionally a chosen vintage of a wine may sell out or be replaced by a new release after your order is placed. Bottles of wine that are under $20, will not hold up an order and we will simply automatically substitute the wine with the comparable vintage. Please be assured that we will only substitute with a vintage for the same wine. Wine that is valued more than $20 per bottle, we will attempt to contact the customer. After two attempts, the available vintage will be automatically shipped out. (The return policy of $15 return shipping costs, and 15% restocking fee will be enforced.)
Yiannis Wine will not be held liable for damages to orders due to weather conditions during shipping. Potential exposure to extreme heat or cold may damage items during shipping. As we can not be held responsible for products damaged due to weather, we suggest you choose FedEx Express to ship your items and/or add ice packs to your order (during extreme heat) to help prevent damages. We can also place your orders on weather hold until weather conditions improve. Wine is usually fine if it is exposed to some heat (as that is the way wine is made.....Heated so the yeast is activated). If your wine is warm, please place them in a cool, dark room so the wine can "settle."
Most returns will be accepted, but ALL bottles must be returned to get credit. A half bottle or empty bottle of something that did not taste GOOD is fine to return, but the customer will not receive full credit if the bottle is not included.
Sometimes an order is returned to our warehouse after several delivery attempts at the address provided by the customer. We are happy to reship the order however, reshipment fees will apply. Please contact us and we will assist you with the reshipment arrangements.
We are happy to assist with any returns for items purchased that you no longer want or need. Please let us know and we will arrange for the return and issue a credit or refund for your returned items, less the return shipping and handling charges.
We offer some of the most diverse wines in the business, and we are happy to help you choose wines and provide recommendations by our sommeliers if you desire. Everyone has different tastes and Yiannis Wine will not be held responsible for customer choice. While ratings, testimonials, and reviews may influence your decision, the ultimate judgement is yours.
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