Hermitage is one of the most well-known wine regions in the northern Rhône Valley of France. It is said that as early as the 18th and 19th centuries, the price of Hermitage wines was higher than that of most French wines, second only to Bordeaux! Wild history records that in the 19th century, Bordeaux first-class estates such as Lafite, Latour even purchased wines from Emmitage to add the body and color of their wines.
I. The History of Emmitage
1. Named after a Crusader, meaning "hermit"
There are two famous Syrah regions in the north of the Rhône Valley in France, one is Hermitage in Tain and the other is Cote Rotie, north of Tain. The history of winemaking in the Tain region dates back to the Roman period.
The name Emmitage was coined in honor of chevalier de Sterimberg, a Castilian crusader. In 1223, during the Crusades of Albi, he retreated to the top of a hill and became a hermit, the landmark of which is a chapel to the consecration of St. Christopher, which is preserved to this day.
2. Famed by King Louis XIII
Unlike Burgundy in the north, which had the support of dukes, and the Papal Nouvelle in the south, which had a papal sign, Emmitage was unknown from the decline of the Roman Empire until the 17th century. It was not until 1642 that King Louis XIII of France, during his patrol of the Rhône Valley, drank the wine of Emmitage, praised it, and promised to use it at court banquets. This made the wine of Emitage famous from the princes and nobles down to the common people.
3. Develop the British market and develop maritime trade
In the 17th century, many great wine merchants appeared in Emmitage. The most representative is the Mure family, whose efforts a large number of wines were exported to the UK, opening up overseas markets. In the 17th century, President Jefferson was very fond of Hermitage wines and recorded the appellation in large quantities. At that time, the top-level Emitage was even more expensive than the Bordeaux First Class!
In the 19th century, Emmitage wines needed to be shipped overseas from bordeaux docks, but in order to limit the wine trade in the Rhône Valley, Bordeaux stipulated that foreign wines could not be shipped to England before Christmas. And these wines that stay on the dock, if they have not been sold on May 1 of the following year, can only be made into brandy.
4. Mixed into famous wines such as Lafite and Margaux
In 1826, Thiebaut de Berneaud wrote: "Bordeaux wines are mixed with wines from Hermitage, Cahors, Gard and Herault, with the aim of correcting the weakness and bitterness of red wines." ”
Nathaniel Johnston also revealed in a letter to bordeaux partners: "The 1795 vintage of Lafite added Hermitage, which is more outstanding than any wine of the same vintage." Paul Gauthier from the vintner Leon Revol has pointed out that in 1860, Château Margaux had marked the words "Chateau Margaux - Hermitage" on the label, and Bordeaux such as Rafi and Hubertine have also stated that They have used Hermitage wines in their blends.
5. Outbreak of phylloxera
In 1872, with 15 registered vintners and 42 oak barrel craftsmen, the wine industry was at the height of its boom. Unfortunately, in 1874 the phylloxera broke out and the wine industry suffered a devastating blow. In 1886, there were only 9 registered wine merchants left.
6. The Tsar's cup of Chinese and American wine, a symbol of good wine
In 1903, former French President Emile visited Russia, and the royal banquet was drunk with the red and white wine of Emmitage. Emile thought that the other party had chosen these wines with ulterior motives, because his hometown was Hermitage. But the Tsar said that this was not the case, because as early as Nicolas Bovaro (1636-1711) when he wrote the satirical poem "An Absurd Meal", The Emmitage wine had become the most common wine on the table of the Russian royal family.
7. The establishment of 4 wine merchants and cooperatives after the war
After two world wars, in 1930 there were only four winemakers left in Emitage, the M. Sapptier Winery. Chapoutier), Paul Jaboulet Aine, Delas and Leon Revol. In such a difficult situation, the first cooperative was formed in 1933 on Hermitage. A total of 114 winegrowers joined, but half owned less than 1 hectare of vineyards and a third had no land.
8. Famous and a must-have wine for senior collectors
Since 1970, the Rhône Valley appellation has received media and outside attention, and Emmitage has become increasingly famous as a representative appellation in the northern Rhône Valley. Today, the finest Hermitage wines have long been a must-have on the list of veteran wine collectors around the world.
What are the terroir conditions in Emmitage?
Located on the left bank of the Rhône, most of the slopes are south-facing, the Emitage Vineyards are not only sunny but also untouched by cold north winds, and have an excellent location. The typical Mediterranean climate, with an average of 2,100 hours of sunshine during the growing season and an average annual rainfall of 800 mm, creates almost perfect conditions for the growth of Syrah.
The terrain and soil of Emitage are complex, most of which are hilly and divided into three parts: the westernmost part is the Bessards zone, where the soil is granite and the terrain is very rugged, which is considered to be the most suitable place for the production of red wine in Emmitage. The middle part is upper and lower, the upper part is the Meal Garden, the bottom part is calcareous and siliceous soil, the surface is covered with cobblestones, it is the most abundant place in the Sunshine of Ermita, and the wine is full and full, and the lower part is the Greffieux Garden, which is fertile alluvial soil. The eastern part includes murets and Diogniers, where the soil is mainly clay and suitable for producing fine white wines.
The soil of Emitage consists of granite sand and mica schist, gneiss, and pebbles stranded on land. The soil on the slopes is poor and mostly covered with insulation granite, which guarantees the full ripening of the grapes. In addition, the slopes here are very high, and the large slopes are difficult to operate mechanically, so they can only be operated by hand, so the yield is low, but the quality is quite excellent.
How are the wines of Hermitage made?
There is only 1 legal red grape variety in Emmitage, Silas, and 2 legal white wine varieties, namely Marsanne and Roussanne.
Just as Rodicecchi allows the addition of Viognier white wine to red wines, the regulations of Emitage also allow no more than 15% of white wines to be added to the production of red wines. In practice, however, this practice is uncommon, and even with white wine, the proportion is very low, generally no more than 5%. Most wineries de-stem when making red wines in a soft, rounded style, and the proportion of new oak barrels used in the resulting wine is not high, generally no more than 30%, and the maturation time is about 18 months or less. There are exceptions, such as Château Sapptil and Château Garberle, which use 100% new oak barrels.
White wines are generally 100% Marsanne, or mainly Marsan, with a small amount of Hushan added. White wines of Hermitage are generally fermented alcoholicly and malolactic fermentation in wooden barrels or stainless steel tanks. New oak barrels are used in 30-75% and bottled after 8-12 months of maturation on puree.
The terroir conditions of Emitage are diverse, and they are divided into different "quartiers", which vary greatly in style. Some wineries offer single-garden wines, such as Delas Les Bessards, M. Millards, M. Chapoutier Le Meal) and others. Others mix different vineyards, such as chateau Chapel Gabriel, a classic blended from Bassard and Mill Gardens.
4. What about the wines of Hermitage?
1, red wine: more suitable for drinking after aging
Made almost 100% from syrah, Hermitage Red Wine is rich and concentrated, with fresh flavours of blackcurrants, blackberries, black cherries, earth, spices, minerals, olive oil, smoked and more, which tend to appear serious and closed when young, difficult to enter, but become elegant, delicate, complex and vibrant when aged. The ageing potential of Hermitage red wines is excellent, with premium wines lasting more than 20 years.
Recent quality years: 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2003, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1982, 1978, 1966, 1961.
2, white wine: excellent aging potential
Marsanne is one of the important white grape varieties of the Rhône Valley in the North, producing wines with full bodies, deep colours and sometimes hints of honeysuckle and almonds. The average white wine rarely improves its quality as it ages in the bottle, but Marsanne is an exception, which can age well and develop complex flavors such as honey. HuShan's main characteristic is that the aroma is lingering and lingering, its aroma is somewhat similar to that of particularly fresh herbal teas, in addition, it is full of sourness, so it has more aging potential than Marsan, providing a body for wine.
3. Unique straw wine
In addition to red and white wines, a few wineries also produce straw wines (Vin de Paille). This is a sweet wine made by Marsan and Husan after drying on a straw mat. Air drying takes 45 days, and raisin fermentation is extremely long, and it can take years to ferment the sugar, such as Château Schaff, which leaves the wine in wooden barrels and ferments for 7 years before bottling. After fermentation, it is also matured in 100% French new oak barrels. This wine is very concentrated, with an average of 8 kg of grapes to make 1 bottle (750ml) of wine! However, it is usually packed in a 375ml bottle. Straw wine has a sugar content of 150 g/L, and in some vintages it can reach 170 g/L, and its ageing potential is also very impressive, reaching decades. The producers of high-quality straw wines in Hermitage are Château Schaff and Château Putier.
7. The top 5 wineries that dominate production
Unlike the Rhodiscourt region, which concentrates the diversification of dozens of wineries, Emmitage is dominated by a small number of large wineries. Emmitage covers an area of 136 hectares, including the Château M. Sapptier Chapoutier and Cave de Tain account for 40% of the two wineries; Paul Jaboulet Aine, Delas and Jean-Louis Chave account for 36%, with most of the remaining wineries dividing the remaining 24%.
1. Chateau Sapptier
Founded in 1808, Château Sharptile is one of the three giants of the Nord Rhône Valley with 175 hectares of vineyards in 5 regions of the Rhône Valley. Now managed by Mr. Michel Chapoutier, the resulting wines are comparable to those of Marcel Guigal, the most outstanding winemaker in the Rhône Valley region. Parker, in his Complete Book of the World's Top Wines and Wineries, includes the winery and comments: "In my career, I have not seen any estate where the quality of winemaking has progressed faster than That of Sharptile, and the philosophy of winemaking has changed more than That of Sharptier." ”
Château Sharptile has 34 hectares of vineyards in Emmitage, many of which are popular wines for wine lovers and collectors around the world. For example, M. Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc is currently the most popular white wine in the world, with 10 full-time vintages, namely 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon has scored a perfect parker eight times, namely 1989, 1990, 1991, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.
2. Tianen Winery
In 1933, Mr. Louis Gambert de Loche founded Château Deon. Château Dône is one of the best-run wine cooperatives in France. Château Dôn and its 300 members cover 1,000 hectares of local vineyards, accounting for one-third of the entire North Rhône wine production. Château Dônne has 21 hectares of vineyards in Emitage, the most iconic of which are Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Vin de Paille and Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Epsilon.
3. Chateau Carboret
Parker said in the World's Top Wines and Wineries Series: "In my estimation, Garboile is the world's most famous high-quality Rhône Valley winemaker. The château was founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet. In 2006, French commercial real estate giant Jean-Jacques bought Château Gabriel from the Carbourg family.
Château Gabriel is the signature winery of the Rhône Valley, with vineyards of over 100 hectares, of which 25 hectares are in the Emmitage vineyards. Paul Jaboulet Aine La Chapelle at Chateau Gabole has won a perfect Parker score many times, and the legendary year 1961 was listed as one of the "12 Greatest Wines of the World in the 20th Century" by the world's authoritative wine magazine Wine Watcher. This wine has been auctioned for 100,000 yuan / bottle price, drinking a glass of wine to tens of thousands of yuan! Producing only about 2,500 bottles a year, La Chapelle Blanc is hailed by some wine lovers as "one of the top 3 dry white wines in the world".
4. Dras
In 1835, Charles Audibert and Philippe Delas founded the Vintner Company and acquired the winery, and the winery industry has grown ever since. By the time Michel Delas inherited the château in 1960, Château Dras had become the largest planted winery in the northern Rhône Valley. In 1977, Château Deutz was acquired by Deutz Champagne. In 1993, Champagne de Tecks was merged with the shares of Château Dras into Louis Roederer. Château De las has 10 hectares of vineyards in Emmitage, represented by The Barthard Garden Dry Red and Marquise de La Tourette Rouge.
5. Château Schaff
Founded in 1481, Château Schaff is one of the oldest wineries in the world. After Gerard Chave took over the winery in 1970, he quickly became famous for the exceptional quality of the wines he produced. Château Schaff has been growing and making traditional methods for generations, advocating the classic Hermitage wine style, where winemaking is made by blending different vineyards.
Château Schaff has 14.5 hectares of vineyards in Hermitage. The representative wine is Ermitage Cuvee Cathelin, which received a perfect Parker score in the 2009 vintage, and this wine became one of the most expensive Syrah reds in the Rhône Valley at an average price of nearly 30,000 yuan of WS excluding tax.
Some of the current situations in Emmitage
1. Covering an area of 136 hectares, the yield is only equivalent to that of a large Bordeaux winery
Stretching 2.5 km from east to west and 1 km from north to south, Hermitage covers an area of only 136 hectares, of which more than 100 hectares are used to make red wines, and the entire appellation is comparable to a large bordeaux winery, with extremely low yields.
With 25 hectares of vineyards in Emmitage with an average annual production of 7,000 cases, Château Garberle is already one of the highest-yielding wineries. Most wineries produce an average of no more than 500 cases per year.
2. Large wineries dominate the market
The total area of vineyards in Emmitage is originally not large, and the vineyards on the high-quality hills and hillsides are smaller and more difficult to plant, but with excellent quality, they are very popular and difficult to find. It is precisely because the production is very limited that the quality of the elderly points of Emita Days is very rare in the market and rare.
In addition, since 76% of the production of Hermitage wines comes from 5 large wineries, the products of these wineries are more common on the market. In fact, the Hermita Nissan is divided into 40 owners, and most of them are inherited by families, and there are very few of them divided into each family.
3, Emita day can not sell the price
At the beginning of the 19th century, when Andre Jullie conducted the survey of the famous world wineries, he had no doubt that the top 3 were: Lafite in Bordeaux, Romani Conti in Burgundy, and Emmitage. Today, Lafite and Kande are the most expensive wines in Bordeaux and Burgundy, with prices ranging from tens of thousands or even higher, while the top Hermitage wines are only a few thousand yuan.
Many winegrowers in Emmitage complain that their wines are not being sold at a high price. You know, the Syrah variety is very popular all over the world, and Emitage is the classic quality appellation of Syrah.
4. Land prices are too high to restrict development
Daniel Brissot of The Tian En Winery pointed out: "Now the Tian En Winery loses more members than it wins. The biggest problem is that the vineyards here are so expensive, at as high as €1 million per hectare, which doesn't match the price of the wine. In contrast, Rhodi Hill is more dynamic and the land price is much lower. ”
The price of St-Joseph vineyards in the North Rhône Valley is generally 120,000 euros per hectare. Crozes-Hermitage has a land price comparable to St. Joseph's, and the flat terrain makes it easier to mechanize cultivation and therefore more profitable.
Wine Encyclopedia, China's leading new wine media, WeChat public account: wikiwine.