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Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2020 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc (99JD, 98DC, (96-98RP), 95WS). Jeb Dunnuck: "Another heavenly white from this estate is the 2020 Hermitage Blanc, which is the usual 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne from a mix lieux-dits. Incredibly perfumed with notes of acacia flowers, buttered stone fruits, toasted brioche, honeysuckle, and crushed stone, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered texture, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a great finish. The purity, balance, and intensity here are just about off the charts, and this beauty deserves a solid decade of bottle age, although you'll be excused if you drink one in its youth as well." (12/2022)

Just bottled but certainly not showing any worse for it, the 2023 Hermitage Blanc offers up gorgeous aromatics of quince, honeyed white flowers, and blanched almond on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, round, incredibly pure, and seamless on the palate, with a supple, vibrant texture and a gorgeous finish. This is an absolute lights-out Hermitage Blanc that I wish every reader could taste. I love it even today, yet it's going to cruise in cold cellars for at least two decades.

Finding inspiration in Burgundy—where Daphné Chave spent time studying winemaking—this is a lovely expression of Marsanne and Roussanne. Oily and mineral-driven, it unfolds with layered notes of nectarine, wet stone and marzipan. There is a wonderful subtlety and nuance here that becomes even more expressive at the table, particularly alongside richer white meats and fish dishes.

Clos Sainte Magdeleine is one of Cassis’s most iconic producers, with vineyards dramatically perched on a private cape and along the soaring Cap Canaille. Under the guidance of Jonathan Sack, the domaine farms organically and crafts wines of finesse and precision, capturing the unique maritime energy of this singular terroir. The Cassis Rosé is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault and 20% Mourvèdre from vines planted between 1980-1996 (35 years average) over clay and limestone soils. This tiny production rose is always one of the most sought after in the summer season. Nothing goes better with a bouillabaise!

The Crozes-Hermitage "On the Rhône Again" Blanc from Julien Pilon is crafted entirely from Marsanne, with the wine raised entirely in casks for ten months, with fifteen percent of the oak new. The 2024 version is fairly golden in color and offers up a complex nose of fresh apricot, peach, hazelnut, a touch of browned butter, a fine base of soil and a deft framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is crisp, focused and full-bodied, with fine depth of fruit at the core, good soil undertow, a sound spine of acidity and fine balance on the long, complex and wide open finish. Good juice.

The ideal marriage of finesse and controlled power, this has a scented nose of preserved lemons, wild herbs, dried peaches, raw almonds and a subtle touch of mild spices. Medium-bodied with a fresh center-palate of perfectly controlled dried-citrus bitterness touching the silky, almost seamless texture. Harmonious, so flavorful and well-composed, it has perfect balance and a long, long, enchanting finish. From vines planted in 1926.

Lovely fresh, bright aromas, vibrant with notes of honeysuckle. This is a middleweight vintage of this cuvée, with good acidity and a mineral edge. It's well balanced with great harmony and vivaciousness, up there with the best recent vintages of Les Oliviers. From the lieu-dit of the same name near Mauves. (MW)

Jean-Marie Guffens established Verget in 1990 after founding Domaine Guffens-Heynen in the Mâconnais with Maine Heynen. This 2024 Tinus bottling turns his attention to Marsanne, the historic white grape closely associated with France’s Rhône Valley, and carries the broad Vin de France designation.

The hill of Hermitage overlooks Tain-l’Hermitage on the Rhône’s east bank, anchoring one of the northern Rhône’s historic wine appellations. Alongside its Syrah reds, Hermitage produces white wines from Marsanne and Roussanne. Domaine Marc Sorrel’s 2024 “Le Rocoules” belongs to this white-wine tradition, with Marsanne at its core.

Matching the otherworldly 2009, the 2015 Hermitage Blanc is a perfect wine and certainly one of the greatest whites ever made from this hallowed estate. The normal blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne from the l’Ermite, Péleat, and les Rocoules lieux-dits, it exhibits a huge, opulent bouquet of buttered citrus, flower oil, orange marmalade, quince, and honeysuckle that’s to die for. This majestic, full-bodied Hermitage Blanc has a huge mid-palate, thrilling purity of fruit, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s capable of lasting for 4-5 decades, but still has the sexiness of the vintage front and center and will be enjoyable early in its life. (JD)

I’ve thought the 2009 Hermitage Blanc was pure perfection just about every time I’ve been lucky enough to taste it. Thrilling notes of quince, honeysuckle, buttered citrus, and liquid rock all emerge from this flamboyant, sexy, yet seamless and classic white that could come from nowhere else than this magical hillside terroir outside of Tain l’Hermitage. It’s a thrill a second today but will keep for 40-50 years. It’s a heavenly, magical Hermitage Blanc.

Dense and packed, but amazingly bright at the same time, this offers dried papaya and pineapple fruit backed by a paraffin note, with fresh floral, white peach and heather honey notes. Then the long, super stony finish takes over, and sails on nearly endlessly. This has power, precision and refinement all together. (JM)

Drinking brilliantly, the 2003 Hermitage Blanc is now certainly fully mature and has a heavenly nose of white currants, buttered almonds, freshly baked croissants, and orange marmalade. A white that builds and gains freshness and depth with time in the glass, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, flawless overall balance, and that rare blend of opulence, richness, and freshness. I love it today and see no reason to hold off, but I'd be shocked if this doesn't have a solid decade of prime drinking ahead of it.

Honeysuckle, verbena and chamomile aromas stream out first, followed by a remarkably creamy core of yellow apple, white peach, heather honey and warm mirabelle plum notes. Hazelnut oil and brioche line the finish, adding considerable length. Despite all the lushness and depth, this manages to maintain a sense of tension and precision as well. Amazing wine. (JM)

Chave's 2013 Hermitage Blanc had just been bottled prior to my visit. Always 80% to 85% Marsanne and the rest Roussanne, from the lieux-dits of Rocoules, Peleat, L'Hermite and Maison Blanche, it's raised primarily in barrels with a small percentage new. Loaded with notions of buttered citrus, white currants, liquid rock, white flowers and hints of honeysuckle, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful freshness and purity, and a focused, clean, elegant profile that keeps you coming back to the glass. It lacks the sheer wealth of material found in blockbuster years like 2009 and 2003, yet is perfectly balanced, has loads of richness and a great finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy bottles over the following two decades. (JD)

Much more open, fleshy and sexy, the 2012 Hermitage Blanc was just bottled a month prior to this tasting. Coming from l’Ermite, Les Rocoules, Maison Blanche and Peleat lieux-dits, it’s always a rough blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne that’s aged in barrel. Loaded with notions of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, powered rock, buttered citrus and green almond, it’s full-bodied, rich, upfront and fruit loaded. While I think it will be a relatively accessible early in its life, it has the concentration to hold for two decades. (JD)

Still a bit reserved aromatically, with hints of orange blossom and crème anglaise peeking out, this features a captivating display of racy quinine, honeysuckle and white peach flavors inlaid into a rich core of brioche, Cavaillon melon, white truffle, smoked almond and heather honey. Incredibly long. Hard to resist now, but ideal for when your toddler graduates college. Best from 2019 through 2030. *Collectible* (JM)

Ripe and unctuous, showing terrific cut, with heather, white peach, green almond, Anjou pear, persimmon and macadamia nut notes all framed by a toasted brioche hint. Exquisitely detailed through the finish, this shows salted butter and chammomile details. Remains refined, focused and pure, despite the obvious power. (JM)

Lush yet precise, with green tea, honeysuckle and quinine notes rippling through the core of green plum, pear and Jonagold apple fruit. The finish has mouthwatering minerality and subtle persistence. Seamless and long. Best from 2012 through 2022. 500 cases made.

I was able to taste the 2018 Hermitage Blanc from multiple barrels and tank, and I continue to think Jean-Louis fashions one of the greatest whites on planet earth. Gorgeous white flowers, honeysuckle, ripe quince, and toasted almond notes dominate the bouquet, and it has that rare mix of richness and opulence paired with incredible purity, freshness, and focus. It has a wealth of material yet also shows the vintage’s more rounded, sexy style. Plan on drinking bottles on release and over the following 2-4 years or hold off for a decade. It’s certainly in the same ballpark as the 2017.

Cut from the same cloth, the 2017 Hermitage Blanc is stunning stuff, and Chave lovers should unquestionably have bottles of this in the cellar. Bottled in August of this year, its medium gold hue is followed by a mammoth bouquet of quince, flower oil, buttered almonds, and brioche. Every bit as good on the palate, it’s full-bodied, has a stacked mid-palate, flawless balance, and incredible minerality as well as length on the finish. It’s insanely good today, and while this cuvée can shut down, I wonder if this ever will. My money is on this drinking fabulously well for 25+ years. Life is too short not to drink as much Chave Hermitage Blanc as possible!