Vidal-Fleury Hermitage 2013
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Wine &
Spirits -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wine & Spirits
This shows both the ripeness of the 2013 vintage and the gentling effect of three years in barrels in its generosity and length. It feels elegant and spicy, notes of black pepper and green herbs spiking the juicy black-plum flavor, an earthy, green-olive note riding underneath. The tannins are present enough to keep tension in the wine but they hold no meanness: You could drink this now, with lamb chops, or cellar it another dozen years.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Tasted out of bottle, the 2013 Hermitage is outstanding, with a still youthful, fresh, tight texture. Perfumed notes of blackberries, scorched earth, spice, and graphite all emerge from this medium to full-bodied 2013 that shows the classic, cooler-climate, yet concentrated style of the vintage nicely.
Vidal Fleury was founded in 1781 as a wine grower and proprietor of vineyards in the Cote Rotie. With more than two centuries of continuous operation, it's undisputedly the oldest functioning winery and wine firm in the Rhone Valley.
Founder Joseph Vidal strove to produce wines that expressed the typicity of the various soils and to achieve the highest degree of quality possible. True to the founder's goals. the winery continues to produce wines that are the finest expression of their appelation. Today Vidal Fleury offers a comprehensive range of red, white and rose wines from the Rhone Valley. Recognizing the enormous potential of Vidal Fleury and the value of its brand, the successful Rhone winemaker Marcel Guigal bought the company in 1986. Modern equipment in a spotless environment is used to implement the traditional methods in winemaking.
All red wines and selected white wines are matured adn aged in oak barrels and casks. Selected cuvees are aged in new oak for part or all of the maturation process.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.