Wine Reviews

An elegant, beautifully perfumed style, with the high-toned, leaner character of the vintage. Snappy red licorice, cherry and apple wood smoke are dusted in white pepper. Tannins are well-polished, showing modest grip through the lengthy finish. It will be interesting to see this evolve with time in bottle.

The 2023 Hermitage La Maison Bleue opens with aromas of oak, smoke, licorice and lead pencil, giving way with aeration to notes of blackberry and blueberry. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it’s built around a firm, mineral core of fruit framed by fine, well-defined tannins. Precise and tensile, it retains an overall sense of balance despite the marked imprint of élevage at this stage. It should integrate further with time in the cellar.

The 2023 Hermitage La Maison Bleue first reveals dried violets, black cherry, pencil shaving and earthy tones. Big-boned, round and smooth, the 2023 packs noteworthy overall intensity, bringing the wine through the mid-palate with a wealth of vigor on the long finish.

Darker berries, graphite, leather, and savory herb aromatics all shine from the 2024 Hermitage La Maison Bleue, and it’s medium-bodied with a firm, focused, austere mouthfeel. It has ripe yet focusing tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length with nice overall balance. This is going to appeal to the staunch traditionalists out there.

A softer, more rounded, yet still nicely concentrated Hermitage, the 2023 Hermitage La Maison Bleue offers ripe red and black fruits, camphor, graphite, and spice. Aged 12 months in 15% new French oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a layered, nicely concentrated, balanced profile that has ripe tannins, terrific overall balance, and outstanding length. It’s perfect for drinking any time over the coming two decades. Drink 2026-2046.