M. Chapoutier : Monier de la Sizeranne 2020

The 2020 Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne is loaded with cassis and blueberries—it's a really fruit-forward Hermitage, but one that still shows a modicum of granitic restraint on the medium- to full-bodied palate, with smooth, silky tannins and an elegant finish.

This meaty, rich, polished Hermitage is intense and focused, showing serious tension between plum, grilled cherry and smoking incense notes and the mounting mineral energy. The wine’s elements are rounded out with warm earth, silky ganache and graphite on the nicely textured finish. Drink now through 2040. 150 cases imported.

Fairly closed at the time of tasting, but has satisfying concentration on the palate, good acidity and fine tannin. The acidity is surprisingly high in fact, and brings a welcome freshness and drive to the blackberry fruit. This has everything it needs to be a very fine Hermitage in time, but for now this is very much an embryonic wine that will strongly benefit from ageing before broaching. It's not the most powerful or concentrated, but the freshness, length and balance make for a lovely vintage of this wine. Oak work is discrete.

An excellent Hermitage with the imposing structure we expect from this appellation, but also excellent balance. Stacks of elderberry and pepper, and also a touch of leather. So much depth and expression, but not a jot overbearing or heavy. In spite of the serious tannins at the finish there are wonderful flashes of red and black berry fruit. From blocks with granitic and sedimentary soils. Some whole bunch. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Leading off the Hermitage, the 2020 Hermitage Monier De La Sizeranne is as classic as they come, with a balanced, layered, impressively structured profile, ample dark fruits, smoky, meaty, leathery nuances, ripe tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. From a mix of terroirs, destemmed, and aged 16 months in a mix of barrels and demi-muids (20% new), this serious, age-worthy Hermitage will benefit from 4–5 years of bottle age and keep for over two decades.