M. Chapoutier : Chante-Alouette 2021

Complex and aromatic, with apricot liqueur and peach merging with honeyed chamomile and warm hay. Bitter almond skin and dried green herbs balance the richness of the fruit well, and subtle notes of earthy evolution glide out on the long, balanced finish. Drink now through 2030. 50 cases imported.

Less richly and ripely fruited on the nose than a typical year, this has starfruit and yellow plum nuances, and a subtle flinty note in the background. The acidity is surprisingly low for a 2021 white Hermitage, but it's not unbalanced, with subtle, noble, bitter notes compensating. The oak work sits in the background and is unobtrusive. Broad but tense finish, this is a silky and compact iteration of this cuvée. Not terribly grand or mighty, but already approachable.

From a vintage that has proved very successful for the region's white wines, Chapoutier's 2021 Hermitage Chante-Alouette features aromas of beeswax, almond skin, melon and tangerine. It's medium-bodied, round, concentrated, nicely balanced and harmonious, with a long, citrusy finish.