Hermitage 2024: Elegant reds but a vintage where white wines reign supreme

Unusually concentrated for a 2024, this has thick and velvety fruits, is slightly warming, with soft, pliable, toothsome tannins and a long finish. Riper than most this year, possessing solid Hermitage stylings and good freshness, giving this one of the greatest potential longevities of the vintage. Plush and delicious enough to drink young but try to resist. From lieux-dits Les Greffieux and Les Bessards.

The nose shows great class: freshness, intensity and classic Hermitage smoke. Full-bodied, this has enough concentration for sure, plus great drive. It's Hermitage but in a slim Dior suit, displaying great focus and direction. The tannins are a bit plumper here than elsewhere, it's not quite as bony. Fresh and angular but still impressive. 80% aged in demi-muids, 20% in barriques. Vines are around 50 years old, farmed biodynamically.

Gorgeous, ripe and fruity nose, this is good to go already. Really vibrant with great definition and energy, offering unctuous blackberry, plum, damson and sloe fruit. Soft and velvety on the palate, the structure is quite yielding for Hermitage, but there's some ripe, juicy tannins to hold up the fruit. Vibrant, approachable and well balanced, you could drink this young, but it will be better from 2032. Elevage in demi-muids.

Darkly fruited, showing blackcurrant, blackberry and a big, dense tannic weave; this is intense, powerful and has concentration without excess weight – it's still quite athletic. The tannins are massive, a bit blocky, and will take time to settle, but it will likely always be quite foursquare. Fresh, the oak work doesn't currently dominate the fruit; very promising in terms of intensity and freshness.

Fresh, slightly herbal and peppery in style, oak use is measured and there's a lovely sense of freshness, precision and clarity. Sleek, very well balanced, it's all about the quality of the fruit rather than the oak. A subtle wine that could be easily missed in a long line-up; enjoyable young, but this will prove more rewarding in time. Long finish. Destemmed fruit from a south-facing plot, around 40% new oak.

Juicy, fruity, lively and zesty berry fruits. Well balanced with good Hermitage structure and proportions. Good length, elegant texture and tannins. Lovely sense of freshness, no heaviness but has Hermitage style. You could drink this young, but it will be best from 2033. Destemmed fruit, south-facing vineyard, around 25% new oak.

Broad, mouthfilling, an unusually powerful and concentrated Hermitage for 2024. Has backbone and structure, it's a mineral style that will age well. The oak is forthright and will take time to meld, but this should be good in time.

Lovely purity of fruit: defined berries and spice. Good acidity and energy. Oak is well judged and the finish is long. Overall, this is a slim, elegant Hermitage of traditional, rather than massive, proportions. Silky, with quiet grandeur. From a small plot in lieu-dit Les Diognières, 60-year-old massale selection, destemmed, vinified in open-top wooden fermenters, aged in barriques.

Brambly, black berry fruits with subtle smoky notes. Cooling palate, smooth and juicy. A focused and direct style, quite foursquare, with plentiful cardamom spice on the finish. Good balance and freshness; not a massive Hermitage but a fine, compact, balanced one.

Smoky style, slightly charry. Full-bodied, plump and juicy. Touch of sweet oak spice. Young still but has elegance. Tapered finish.