Cave de Tain - Hermitage Nobles Rives blanc 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

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

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche, the high-quality Tain-l'Hermitage cooperative winery has 310 members and, with more than 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 trusted name in the region, the winery acquired brand-new production facilities in 2014, enabling it to expand its range of single-vineyard wines.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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 has a large parking lot located at the foot of Hermitage Hill, offering a panoramic view all the way down to the hillside. 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 the cooperative the second-largest landowner in that appellation. The entry-level wines are often pleasant and well-made, offering good value for the price, while some of the top-tier cuvées are ripe and oaky—perhaps even offering too much of both for some consumers.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

[...] It has good depth—pear, honey, and floral notes as well. An appealing finish with a refreshing quality that provides energy and vibrancy.

Vinous

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The 2021 Hermitage Nobles Rives Blanc is a robust wine, offering abundant fresh floral notes, honeyed minerality, and hints of citrus and orange-hued fruit. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant, it should gain depth with a year or two of bottle aging.