Hermitage ou Ermitage ou l'Hermitage ou l'Ermitage

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• To the west, the vineyard rests on primary-origin soils consisting of granite overlaid with micaschists and gneiss, weathered into fragile, sandy-clay granitic sand (arène granitique) soils.
• To the east, quaternary-origin soils formed from layers of ancient alluvial terraces deposited during glacial melt bear the name alpine diluvium.
• At the end of the Quaternary period, strong northerly winds deposited loess — calcareous aeolian sediments that persist on the flat ledges at the tops of slopes where erosion has not reworked them.
• Oriented perpendicular to the axis of the Rhône valley, the vineyard is sheltered from northerly winds by steep hillsides, favouring a very warm mesoclimate that has allowed the establishment of relic olive trees in the Beaumes quarter and eliminates the risk of spring frosts.
• The southern tip of this relief forms the Pierreaiguille rock, at 335 metres in altitude, which marks the western boundary of the hillside and closes the Rhône valley between the Tain and Tournon gorge and that of the Bouterne.
• The geographic zone sits on a fragment of a granitic massif that the Rhône has separated from the Ardèche mountains, and extends across three communes in the département of the Drôme, on the left bank of the river.

• The municipal archives of Tain-l'Hermitage document the settlement of several hermits on the hillside from 1598 onwards, a change of name from the Coteau de Saint-Christophe that is at the origin of the appellation name «Hermitage».
• The winegrowers built a network of drainage channels to direct excess rainwater towards the Rhône and constructed dry-stone walls to preserve the long-term stability of the soil, which consists of unstable granitic sand.
• The Syrah variety is planted mainly in the western part of the granitic hillside, while the white varieties, principally Marsanne, are concentrated on the more calcareous soils.

• The red wines, made principally from Syrah, display an intense colour, aromas of ripe fruit, spices and undergrowth, and a powerful, tannic palate.
• The white wines are distinguished by great aromatic intensity of white flowers, spices and honey, with a refined balance between acidity and a degree of softness, with no fermentable sugars.
• The appellation is distinguished by a very small production of straw wine (vin de paille), made from white grapes dried at ambient temperature for a minimum of 45 days before pressing and slow, incomplete fermentation.
• This straw wine displays an amber colour, a sweet flavour, marked alcoholic richness, and aromas of candied fruit accompanied by notes of smoke, exotic fruits, vanilla and honey.

• The very warm mesoclimate, managed by the winegrowers, enables the expression of ripe fruit, spice and undergrowth aromas in complex, long-ageing red wines.
• This same mesoclimate enables the development of white flower and honey aromas in structured white wines, as well as aromas of candied fruit in wines made from dried (passerillé) grapes.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 10 décembre 2024, JORF 12 décembre 2024
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Inter Rhône