Cave de Tain - Hermitage Nobles Rives rouge 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A complex nose with smoky and bacon-like notes and red fruit; on the palate, it offers a creamy attack, an elegant texture, and depth. A fine blend of grapes from various vineyards in Hermitage. Meticulous winemaking and subtle aging.

About the estate:

The winery now has a fermentation facility large enough to vinify its own grapes and produce its wide range of wines. It stands on equal footing with the region’s top producers. In Hermitage, the pride of the members who can rely on the vineyards bequeathed by founder Gambert de Loche, the Epsilon cuvée is impressive. A limited-production wine (1,500 bottles produced), it is a great wine that every discerning wine lover should have in their cellar.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

The Tain winery has once again won unanimous praise for its concentrated and elegant Hermitage wines, with perfectly integrated oak. This cuvée immediately won over the tasters with its lively nose, blending candied black berries and roasted notes (cocoa, roasted coffee). The presence of very ripe grapes is also evident in the concentrated, smooth, and powerful palate, built on fine, tight tannins—the result of skillful aging in Burgundy-style barrels of varying ages (30% new). The long, fragrant finish dances on notes of plum and sweet spices. A bottle that is already irresistible, and will remain so for a long time to come.

About the estate:

Founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche, the high-quality Tain-l'Hermitage cooperative winery has 310 members and, with over 1,000 hectares of vineyards, produces approximately 50% of the wines from the northern Rhône Valley on its own. It also owns 26 hectares of its own vineyards, including 21 hectares in Hermitage. A reliable choice in the region, the winery acquired brand-new production facilities in 2014, enabling it to expand its range of single-vineyard selections.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The 2018 Hermitage Nobles Rives was aged in new 228-liter barrels (Burgundy style) for about one-third of the time, in older barrels for another third, and in tanks for 10%. On the nose, cedar and vanilla mingle with cherries and crushed stone, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is silky, offering great concentration and reasonable length on the slightly dusty finish. I see no reason to delay enjoying this wine, though I believe it will drink well in a decade.

About the estate:

As the largest cooperative winery in the Northern Rhône, the Cave de Tain is a must-see for tourists visiting the region, if only because it features a large parking lot at the foot of Hermitage Hill, offering a panoramic view all the way up the slope. The wines cover nearly all of the region’s appellations, with the exception of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, across a range of quality levels and styles. Collectively, the members cultivate just under 30 hectares of Hermitage, making them the second-largest landowner in this appellation. The entry-level wines are often pleasant and well-made, offering good value for money, while some of the top-tier cuvées are ripe and oaky, perhaps offering even too much of both for some consumers.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The 2018 Hermitage Nobles Rives is a classic, straightforward, and beautifully balanced Hermitage, with notes of redcurrant, saddle leather, pepper, and spiced meat. Wine lovers looking for a classic, balanced, and undeniably delicious Hermitage to enjoy over the next 10 to 15 years can’t go wrong with this.