M. Chapoutier : Le Meal 2016

A two-hectare plot of 50+ year old vines on a steep, south-facing slope of alluvial deposits and large stones. Deep gold in colour, this is fresh with a lifted apricot aroma. It’s very full and opulent on the palate, almost too full — a point that’s emphasised by blocking malo. This is distinctly bright and refreshing yet powerful, with mineral notes and a saline finish. It has real definition and textural detail despite its rich, flowing body. A wonderful wine, but be aware of the low acidity this year.

Seductive and creamy nose with baked lemons, orange rind, rusks, flower honey, green apples and fresh flowers. Full body with such an ample, round dimension to it. It’s expansive and extensive with controlled power. It’s flattering with so much volume and weight on the palate. Long finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.

From a small block that is always last to harvest. Deep colour, creamy palate and loads of umami flavour adding interest, too. Might become a bit much after more than one glass – this has really forceful character. Long, warm finish. (RH)

Vivid gold. Powerful, mineral-tinged Meyer lemon, nectarine and pear nectar scents show excellent clarity, with complex accents of honey, fennel and smoky lees. Vibrant and expansive on the palate, delivering deeply concentrated orchard and stone-fruit flavors, along with hints of buttered toast and honeydew melon that build through the back half. Shows impressive energy and finishes silky and extremely long, with lingering floral and honeyed nuances.

Similarly colored, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc comes from a warmer terroir of pebbly and more loess soils and was brought up in 10% new demi-muids. It's a bigger, richer wine than the de l’Orée and boasts rocking notes of honeyed citrus, orange marmalade, baking spices, and licorice. Rich, powerful, and layered on the palate, it's another rocking white from this team that will drink nicely for two decades or more.

Aromas of roasted fruit, toasted notes, a hint of caramel; the palate is better balanced, with a silky texture and more breadth than De L’Orée; the very sun-drenched origin of the cru is evident, and it should evolve well in bottle.

A rather demonstrative and nicely ripe profile on pulpy yellow fruits. Energetic and deep, it shows nuanced oak. The palate opens broadly, then tightens around a fine, pleasantly bitter finish. Overall, it’s rich yet digestible.

Initial notes of smoke and earth dissipate with aeration to reveal perfumed notes of quince, ginger and pear. It's a rich, expansive white made from 100-year-old Marsanne grapes grown on the chalk and alluvial soils of the Le Méal vineyard. In youth, it offers pristine orchard fruit and spice, but it's a wine that's better left till 2022 at least. It will reward cellaring for decades. 300 cases produced.

The 2016 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc is all Marsanne and all power, with ample weight and richness on the full-bodied palate. Grilled melon and tangerine flavors are big, bold and round yet balanced by a hint of bitterness on the finish. It should drink well for two decades or more.