M. Chapoutier - Hermitage Chante-Alouette 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Michel Chapoutier is now ably supported by his children, Mathilde and Maxime, in running the largest wine house in the Northern Rhône, a historic specialist in Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage. Chapoutier is, on the one hand, a major wine merchant, but also produces top-tier estate wines, with the estate’s vineyards having long been cultivated using biodynamic methods. The single-vineyard selections, the top of the range, perfectly reflect the owner’s philosophy: single-vineyard, single-varietal, and produced annually, they are above all a reflection of the terroir, in its best aspects as well as, at times, its excesses.

Decanter

About the wine:

Less rich and ripe on the nose than a typical vintage, this wine offers hints of star fruit and yellow plum, with a subtle note of flint in the background. The acidity is surprisingly low for a 2021 Hermitage Blanc, but it isn’t unbalanced, thanks to subtle, noble, and bitter notes that provide balance. The oak influence remains in the background and is unobtrusive. With a full-bodied yet taut finish, this is a silky and compact expression of this cuvée. Not particularly grandiose or powerful, but already approachable.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

This venerable (19th-century) and leading winery, propelled onto the international stage by Michel Chapoutier in the 1990s, offers a wide range of wines produced from its own vineyards (345 hectares, cultivated biodynamically) or from purchased grapes, across most of the Rhône Valley’s flagship appellations, as well as in Roussillon and Alsace. His children, Mathilde and Maxime, have recently joined the family business.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

From a vintage that proved to be very fruitful for the region’s white wines, Chapoutier’s 2021 Hermitage Chante-Alouette offers aromas of beeswax, almond, melon, and mandarin. It is medium-bodied, round, concentrated, well-balanced, and harmonious, with a long finish featuring citrus notes.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Under the Maison M. Chapoutier label, we feature wines from the wine merchant division of this two-century-old institution based in Tain-l'Hermitage. Michel Chapoutier, now joined by his daughter Mathilde, offers a very wide range of Rhône appellations here, with a production volume approaching one million bottles. But the Chapoutier name is also present in other regions (Champagne, Alsace, Languedoc, and even Australia), a testament to this family’s dynamism. While some vintages are compelling, others, on the other hand, are far more run-of-the-mill. This inconsistency leads us to remove the star from the house this year.

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

A rich, smoky nose with notes of baked cream and warm honey, giving the wine a brilliant luster and a shimmering vein of golden, iron-rich minerality. Curried peaches; sweetness and earthy spices. Powerful and spectacularly present without being heavy. A finish of honeysuckle. It’s just beginning to come into its own, and it’s magnificent.

James Suckling

About the wine:

At first, it seems a bit closed, but after a few moments in the glass, the aromas of ripe peach and mirabelle plum from the beautifully ripe Marsanne grapes emerge. Excellent concentration and wonderful vitality despite moderate acidity. Next comes the salty minerality, which combines with a hint of bitter almonds in the long, structured finish. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Will reach its peak starting in 2025.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Bottled just three weeks before this tasting, the 2021 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is made exclusively from Marsanne, with 65% aged in demi-muids and the remainder in stainless steel tanks. It doesn’t quite match the 2020 vintage, but don’t let that discourage you, as it displays the typical character of Hermitage, with medium body, good balance, well-integrated acidity, and a lovely finish. It is still tight and slightly reserved (likely due to its recent bottling), but offers impressive aromas of stone fruit, quince, and honeyed minerality, the purity and freshness of the vintage, as well as a lovely finish. It should benefit from 2 to 4 years of aging and drink beautifully over the next 10 to 15 years.