Roederer Estate L’Ermitage 2013 (Archive)
- WE
- W&S
- WA
Reviews
95 Points, #42 Top 100 Wines of 2020 | Cellar Selection
Wine Enthusiast December 1, 2020
“A panoply of subtle aromas and delicate flavors wrapped in a silky, slightly crisp texture give this medium-bodied wine a great sense of elegance. Fresh ginger, biscuits, toasted almonds and mild cherry nuances fill the palate. Best through 2025.”
Overview
Founded in 1982, Roederer Estate is nestled in Mendocino County’s fog-shrouded, Anderson Valley. As the California property of Champagne Louis Roederer, Roederer Estate builds upon a centuries-old tradition of fine winemaking. The premium grape growing region’s proximity to the Pacific ocean gives rise to a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing grapes to mature slowly on the vine and develop full varietal character.
Among the very few California sparkling wine houses that only sources estate-grown fruit, Roederer Estate is also meticulous about all its farming decisions. The winemaking process begins with in-depth knowledge of the Estate soils to introduce open lyre trellis system or high density plantation, extends to the decision to farm vineyards organically and biodynamically, and finishes by painstakingly tracking grape maturity to achieve perfect balance at harvest.
L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate’s special Tête de Cuvée, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Carrying on the tradition of Champagne Louis Roederer in France, Roederer Estate produces its sparkling wines in the French méthode traditionelle and adds special oak-aged reserve wines to each blend. L’Ermitage debuted with the 1989 vintage.
Winemaking
Roederer Estate wines are made with juice from just the cuvée pressing; no première or deuxième taille is used. The concept of the vintage L’Ermitage is the same one that is used in Champagne: only the best of the vintage is selected. These are exceptional wines that create a “noble” blend that allows for longer aging, which produces a fine wine with elegance and finesse.
The wine for the reserve dosage added to the L’Ermitage 2013 was aged five years in a French oak cask. Following disgorgement, L’Ermitage 2013 was aged an additional five months on the cork prior to release. Disgorged in June 2019.
Tech
Appellation: Anderson Valley
Varietals: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir – 4% aged reserve wine, vintage 2011
Wine Alcohol: 12.8%
pH: 3.07
Residual Sugar: 8 g/L
Cases Produced: 4,196 750ml cases, and 275 magnum cases
Tasting Notes
Fine bubbles and creamy finish are the usual footprints of the L’Ermitage wine. Aromatics of hazelnut, brioche and flint create a mysterious and layered first contact. Mouthfeel is inviting quince jelly aromas and bright acidity with layered texture. Dosage is balanced with the acid and structure brought by the reserve wines from cask.
Latest tasting done on December 2019.
