2020 Hermitage Blanc “La Pierrelle”
Barruol / Lynch
Marsanne vines and apricot trees share a sliver of the storied hill of Hermitage, as both need to keep their feet wet, with roots in a soil that retains humidity—a rarity on the parched, windswept rise. However, a few exceptional parcels lie near the summit, where geology has gifted to Marsanne (and us) a soil with crushed limestone on top, and plenty of water retained year-round well below the surface. From the small plot called La Pierrelle, whose vines are more than eighty years old, comes this Marsanne with magnificent floral, pit fruit, and bitter notes. Some say those fruit notes are the result of bees pollinating the surrounding apricot trees as well as the vines; others claim they are from the plants’ interlacing roots. In any event, the flavors of fruit and flower over time veer toward a light touch of honey, and those bitters get more complex, refined, and irresistible. The classic local pairings for Hermitage blanc, especially as it ages, are white meat and fish dishes heavy in cream, butter, and morel mushrooms: timeless matches for a decidedly old-school wine.
—Chris Santini
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2020 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Marsanne |
| Appellation: | Hermitage |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Northern Rhône |
| Producer: | Barruol / Lynch |
| Winemaker: | Louis Barruol |
| Vineyard: | 80 years |
| Soil: | Granite |
| Aging: | Pressed and fermented in Burgundian barrels |
| Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
| Alcohol: | 14% |
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About The Producer
Barruol / Lynch
Louis Barruol is an indefatigable force in the Rhône, the 14th generation in his family to be making wine in Gigondas. On what was once the site of a Roman villa, Louis’ cellars show spectacular remains of Roman vinification vats carved into the limestone. Here, Louis works with different grape varietals from the Rhône, vinifying each parcel separately. He’s taken to acting as a micro-négociant, working with top growers in the region who still work with Sérine. Producing only a few precious barrels of each cuvée, Louis is helping to save the authenticity and identity of old Côte Rôtie parcels. Together, he and Kermit blend our Northern Rhône wines and a Southern Côtes du Rhône Blanc and Rouge from a selection of Louis’ purchases.
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Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch