M. Chapoutier : Les Greffieux 2021

Elegant, salty and savory, with a core of red currant that shows a subtle meaty edge, plus cured sausage, herbs and licorice root. Shows impressive textural beauty, and its gentle leafiness and wet earth dimension add character. Round in feel, with racy acidity powering the energy. The finish, edged in mineral and smoke notes, shows some length. Drink now through 2040. 10 cases imported.

Deep nose of wild berries and herbs plus raw meat, then with a little aeration a roasted meat character emerges. Incredibly focused on the enormously concentrated and compact palate. Sensational stony minerality and wild herb character at the enormously long and brilliant finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.

Cask sample. Hugely vibrant nose of mulberry, crushed blackcurrant, violet and meat. Dark pastille fruit. The oak is present but well balanced and should integrate well. Rich and ripe and very dense – surprisingly so for the vintage. Structured and needs a long time. (AC)

The 2021 Ermitage Les Greffieux is a success given the challenging vintage conditions. Crushed violets, rose petal, red plum, raspberry, cedar traces and a pinch of vanilla are all nicely delineated. Utterly seamless on the palate, the 2021 is a distinctively refined Les Greffieux with sufficient flavor concentration and a polished finale.

The medium ruby-hued 2021 Ermitage Les Greffieux comes from the base of the Hermitage hill and was completely destemmed and saw 10 months in 20% new barrels, some of which were demi-muids. Wild strawberries, herbes de Provence, spice, and leather notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a round, supple, elegant mouthfeel, light tannins, and outstanding length. I always find a certain Southern Rhône-like vibe from this lieu-dit, and it's certainly present here. Drink this perfumed, pretty, elegant Hermitage over the coming 15 years.