M. Chapoutier Le Méal Ermitage Blanc 2021 (Subskription)

"This relatively warm, early-ripening terroir has yielded a wine that's full-bodied yet with an almost custard-like silky texture. Toasted grain, lemon custard, crushed stone, pear and melon notes mingle easily on the nose of Chapoutier's 2020 Ermitage le Méal Blanc. The long, zesty finish is marked by a slight hint of bitterness that seems to come into this parcellaire from time to time."

"Spectacularly complex nose of dried fruit (everything from pear to pineapple) with a whiff of smoke wafting through it. Very rich, but precisely contoured with a very impressive structure, the spiciness building towards the finish. Both succulent and refined at the fabulous, creamy finale. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold."

"Shimmering gold. Powerful, mineral-accented poached pear and peach nectar scents, along with suggestions of honey, brown butter and pungent flowers. Weighty yet energetic on the palate, offering alluringly sweet orchard and pit fruit liqueur flavors that are given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet sharply delineated, showing excellent finishing clarity, velvety texture and strong, mineral-driven persistence."

"Almond, quince and a touch of rhubarb at this early stage; you sense the ripeness, but it's not exotically fruity in 2020. The silkiness and glycerol on the palate are quite present, this sample shows plentiful oak, lending matchstick and cashew to the finish. An elegant vintage of Le Méal. Well balanced, far from massive. Not as powerful or concentrated as the past few vintages, this will drink well young, and age into the medium term. Not a hugely-long lived Méal I suspect, but a delightful one nonetheless. There is generous alcohol, but it’s not unbalanced."