M. Chapoutier Hermitage "Monier de la Sizeranne" 2012
(Rhone, France) - [JS 94] [VM 92] [JD 91] [WS 91] [RP 90]

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Notes from the Winemaker:
Appearance: deep garnet red, with purplish lights.

Nose: red fruit (rapberry, blackcurrant), with a hint of liquorice.

Palate: good attack, round and elegant wine with concentrated and gentle tannins. The final is on blackcurrant, raspberry and spicy (pepper) aromas when it is young.
Sommelier's advice: Venison fillet in red wine sauce. Beef rosted. Mature "Saint Félicien" cheese.

Grape variety/varieties: Syrah.

Harvest: Hand harvesting at optimal maturity.

Soil: Our Hermitage “Monier de la Sizeranne” comes from a blending of different soils from West to East: • “les Bessards”: from a granitic origin, it constitutes the “soul” of a good Hermitage. • “le Méal”: old alluvial terraces, with a lot of gravels and shingles more or less calcareous. • “les Greffieux”: silty soil with shingles.

Vinification: Entirely destemmed, the grapes ferment in concrete tanks. From one to two daily treadings ensure a good extraction. Temperature varies between 30 and 33°C.

Ageing: 18 months ageing, 85% of which takes place in oak barrels, giving the wine its notes of oak. The remaining 15% is aged in concrete tanks to preserve minerality and freshness.

Alcohol content: 14

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Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - James Suckling:
"A blend of 4 climats, and there's granitic influence here. Deep-set spicy complexity is evident immediately on the nose, which displays sappy green peppers, flint and tarry, black- and red-berry fruits. The palate carries impressive depth and detail, the oak is set in neatly, and succulent and composed plum and blackberry flavors run throughout. Handy length. Drink from 2018-2030." (28 Oct, 2016)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"(20% new oak): Opaque ruby. Intense, mineral-driven aromas of ripe blackberry, smoked meat and incense. Pliant, supple and sweet, with a distinct smokiness to its dark berry and spicecake flavors. Finishes with slow-building tannins, repeating smokiness and strong floral persistence. A very strong showing for this bottling." - Josh Raynolds (Feb 2015)

91 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2012 Hermitage Sizeranne is drinking beautifully today, with complex notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, game, saddle leather, and peppery nuances. Relatively mature yet still youthful, with resolved tannins, it has a beautiful sense of elegance, terrific length, and the classic minerality that this appellation is known for. In short, it’s an outstanding Hermitage to enjoy anytime over the coming decade." - Jeb Dunnuck (05/01/2020)

91 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:
"Singed juniper and mesquite notes lead the way, followed by a sleek core of damson plum, red currant and pomegranate fruit flavors. Features a long, sandalwood- and iron-tinged finish. Not dense, but focused and tight-grained. Drink now through 2023. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,200 cases imported." - JM (Feb 2015)

90 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The 2012 reds started with the 2012 Hermitage la Sizeranne, which comes from a number of lieux-dits in Hermitage. Outstanding stuff, it has lots of smoked herbs, saddle leather, pepper and minerality to go with a solid core of raspberry/blackberry fruit. Fleshy, ripe and textured, with fantastic purity, it's a pleasure-bent effort to drink over the coming 7-8 years." - Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2014)