Wine Advisor
Domaine du Colombier, Hermitage Rouge 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Already looking quite approachable, the 2016 Hermitage offers purity and balance in a medium to full-bodied wine. Vanilla and cherries pick up hints of tar and black olive in this attractive wine, which isn't over-anything, just silky, elegant and delicious.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Looking better out of bottle than what I tasted out of barrel last year, Colombier's 2016 Hermitage features aromas of crushed stone, pencil shavings and cassis. Full-bodied, concentrated and intense without being overly tannic, it's finely balanced and long on the finish.
About the Producer
The continuing elevation of this Domaine into the lofty heights of Hermitage greatness is testament to the hard work of the tall, spindly owner Florent Viale. He gives his wines a prolonged maturation of a year and a half which he believes removes the need for filtration and prefers using oak tonneaux for this process rather than the smaller 225 litre barriques so as not to dampen terroir and fruit. As a result, both the Cuvée Gaby and Hermitage are powerful and wholesome but not without a touch of class. The latter wine comes from several parcels on the hill of Hermitages including Les Bessards. The grapes are destalked and Florent never uses more than 20% new oak. The wines are therefore a surprisingly elegant example of Hermitages.
