Chapoutier´s colossal 2018 Ermitage l´Ermite Blanc is a candidate for a perfect score, marrying crisp, stony, structural elements with an off-the-charts level of pineapple, citrus and melon fruit. Full-bodied yet fresh, round yet focused, it´s a somehow harmonious expression of several seeming contradictions and should amaze drinkers for decades to come.

As has become my habit, I scheduled a full morning with Michel Chapoutier and his team to taste through the company´s wines from the Northern Rhône. The fascination here with individual wines of terroir means that the number of bottlings has grown considerably over the years, and the session always includes wines from several partnerships Chapoutier has with other personalities, like renowned chefs in the Pic Chapoutier and Yannick Alleno and Michel Chapoutier wines (reviews listed separately). It was fascinating to sample the 2017s and 2018s in such close proximity, as some cuvées/appellations seemed to have fared better in 2017, while others look potentially better in 2018. At the very top end, you can´t go wrong with any of the sélections parcellaires from either vintage.