Roederer Estate L’Ermitage
Anderson Valley, California, United States
Vintage:2013 (Past)
2009 (Past) | 2011 (Past) | 2012 (Past) | 2015 (Past) | 2017 (Current)
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Reviews
Wine Enthusiast
95 Points, #42 Top 100 Wines of 2020 | Cellar Selection
December 1, 2020, Jim Gordon
“A panoply of subtle aromas and delicate flavors wrapped in a silky, slightly crisp texture give this medium-bodied wine a great sense of elegance. Fresh ginger, biscuits, toasted almonds and mild cherry nuances fill the palate. Best through 2025.”
Wine Spectator
92 Points
October 31, 2020, Tim Fish
“Luscious and creamy, with succulent baked pear, caramelized nut and vibrant lemon flavors that take on richness and polish on the finish. Drink now through 2021.”
Wine & Spirits
93 Points
October 2020, Josh Greene
“L'Ermitage is a selection of the estate's top fruit of the vintage. The 2013 is 52 percent chardonnay and 48 percent pinot noir, with four percent barrel-aged reserve wine from the 2011 vintage. It's mouthwatering and dynamic, with layers of flavor, both fresh apple and more mature notes. An elegant, satisfying sparkler with dimension, it's fit for a plateau de fruits de mer.”
The Wine Advocate
93+ Points
September 10, 2020, Erin Brooks
“The 2013 L'Ermitage Brut is the current release of L'Ermitage and was disgorged in June of 2019. 2013 was the beginning of a long period of drought, and winemaker Arnaud Weyrich feels that it brings this vintage "concentration, phenolics and texture—this wine has body." The nose is open and inviting, golden apples mingling with toast, mushrooms, honey and crushed stone. The medium-bodied palate, with eight grams per liter dosage, has pure fruits tactfully accented by earthy, toasty notes. It's energetic but rounded, supported by a finely beaded mousse, and it finishes long and layered.”
Overview
Founded in 1982, Roederer Estate is nestled in Mendocino County’s fog-shrouded, Anderson Valley. As the California property of Champagne Louis Roederer, Roederer Estate builds upon a centuries-old tradition of fine winemaking. The premium grape growing region's proximity to the ocean gives rise to a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing grapes to mature slowly on the vine and develop full varietal character.
L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate’s special tête de cuvée, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Carrying on the tradition of Champagne Louis Roederer in France, Roederer Estate produces its sparkling wines in the French méthode traditionelle and adds special oak-aged reserve wines to each blend. L’Ermitage debuted with the 1989 vintage.
Winemaking
Roederer Estate wines are made with juice from just the cuvée pressing; no première or deuxième taille is used. The concept of the vintage L’Ermitage is the same one that is used in Champagne: only the best of the vintage is selected. These are exceptional wines that create a “noble” blend that allows for longer aging, which produces a fine wine with elegance and finesse.
The wine for the reserve dosage added to the L’Ermitage 2013 was aged five years in a French oak cask. Following disgorgement, L’Ermitage 2013 was aged an additional five months on the cork prior to release. Disgorged in June 2019.
Tasting Notes
Fine bubbles and creamy finish are the usual footprints of the L’Ermitage wine. Aromatics of hazelnut, brioche and flint create a mysterious and layered first contact. Mouthfeel is inviting quince jelly aromas and bright acidity with layered texture. Dosage is balanced with the acid and structure brought by the reserve wines from cask.
Harvest Notes
Vintage 2013 was the first year of the drought cycle in California. The growing season was mild for frost and very dry throughout, with usual bud break date mid-March followed by a relentless and compact season in the vineyard, leading to harvest third week of August (2 weeks earlier than in 2012).
Botrytis pressure was inexistent due to the low humidity year round. Crop size was about the same as 2012 with maturity levels a bit higher and acidity a bit lower than in 2012, characteristics closer to the 2009 vintage.
Technical Information
Varietals: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir – 4% aged reserve wine, vintage 2011
Wine Alcohol: 12.8%
Residual Sugar: 8 g/L
Cases Produced: 4,136