Hermitage
Hermitage
A prestigious appellation of the northern Rhone in France, the tiny hill of Hermitage produces some of France's most well-known and highly regarded wines. Located behind the town of Tain l'Hermitage, the granite-rich slopes have been used to make world-class wine for hundreds of years. Famously Hermitage was the preferred wine of Louis XIII and XIV, and its use as a gift to visiting nobles and dignitaries helped it gain favour around the world. Syrah grapes make up the majority of plantings in the south-facing vineyards, accounting for about 75 percent of production. Top quality Hermitage Syrah can age for up to 30 years and the intense, peppery, black and red fruit flavours marry with distinct notes of leather and tobacco. Long ageing white wines also have a home in Hermitage, primarily made from Marsanne, and these are laden with honeysuckle and peachy tropical fruit flavours.
