Hermitage 2021: report and top-scoring wines

Piercing intensity on the nose, there's mango, candied citrus peels and salt. Only medium-bodied, but it's an athletic, precise and hugely energetic Ermite, with really driving, focused acidity and immense salty minerality. Straight, long, and intense. Rather than the extract and concentration of some recent warmer vintages, this has immense drive.

Fresh pear and a touch of honey add to what is already a full-bodied, powerful expression on the palate, really intense and driving with plenty of extract. There’s a great sense of freshness and power, but no great fatness on the palate – it’s relatively lean in fact, and should live for a long time. Pure Marsanne over 50 years old, whole-bunch pressed and half fermented in demi-muids, half in vats. The vineyards are on pebbles, clay and some loess, facing south.

A tasting of the constituent lieux-dits before blending shows a white Hermitage that is about tension, freshness and minerality. It's zesty and crisp, with good acidity and will drink well from the outset. This isn't as concentrated as some recent vintages, but it's still a highly impressive wine that will age with interest. Picked on 23 August.

Deep honey, mango, honeysuckle indicate great presence on the nose, if not strongly aromatic at this stage. But it’s full-bodied and rich, tempered by good acidity and a deeply mineral element. It really has great presence and it dives deep into your palate, giving a long, rich, but cleansing finish. From lieu-dit Les Rocoules, where vines are nearly 100 years old. No new oak used.

Mango and rhubarb notes hint at a rich and full-bodied wine, which is quite a classic De l'Orée style, though not quite as rich and opulent as recent years. With lovely acidity, it has more freshness than the past few vintages, though not quite the same opulence. From 60-year-old vines from lieu-dit Les Murets at the top of the hill.

This has quite noticeable oak, and is full-bodied and rich on the palate. It’s really quite oily and mouthcoating, with deep-set but balanced acidity on a long finish. A classic white Hermitage in shape, perhaps not the most concentrated, but well balanced and satisfyingly bold and regal. Fermented and aged in new and recent barriques, partial malolactic.

Expressive peach compote and subtle tobacco notes. Warm spice and vanilla pastry, with abundant fleshy stone fruit and well-integrated oak on the palate. Saline and long on the finish.

Classic Hermitage weight, density and richness on the palate, with lovely acidity and a remarkably mineral expression. The long finish is surprisingly potent. Unusually this is ready already, though well concentrated. 18 months in old barriques. 70-year-old vines.

Not terribly expressive on the nose at the time of tasting, and broad and fat on the palate. Not the most vibrant, perhaps, but there’s good length and concentration. It needs a year to settle – then might be worthy of a higher score. An 80-year-old parcel of Marsanne grown on loess and alluvial terrasses. Aged on the fine lees in 400-litre barrels, 45% new, 35% second-use, 20% third-use, for eight months with regular bâttonage.

A relatively rich white Hermitage that’s full-bodied and weighty, with lemon curd, lemon verbena and lemon zest touches on the nose and palate. Good acidity gives a good sense of freshness. There’s no great length, but it’s very precise. The oak adds richness, but doesn't dominate. From lieux-dits Maison Blanche and Diognières. Aged for 18 months in new and one-year-old barriques.

Heather honey and pear on the nose, it's relatively rich and full-bodied, with lower acidity than most this year. Enjoyably luxurious but not overly fat in texture, with good length of fruit. The oak is well integrated. 40-year-old vines grown on loess; 50% new oak.