Chateau L’Ermitage is the classical type of French winery. Nothing exciting except the wines they produce. For the past thirty years, Michel and Jérôme Castillon have owned the winery and made the wine. Their vineyards span 80 hectares through the Nimes region, which is on the southern side of the Rhone valley. They are the third generation of the Castillon family to tend the vineyards at Chateau L’Ermitage.
The Castillon family clearly has wonderful and tranquil life of tending grapes. It just makes it really hard to write about. Without any action or horror, or tragedy, there really isn’t much to say about the winery. The property was originally an 11th-century monastery, and the first wine cellar was built in the 19th century. Again, lovely but not really exciting stuff. And that is a good thing. Wineries don’t need shady politics and machinations. They need centuries of quiet tending, and that is what we have here.
Wine Review of Chateau L’Ermitage 2012 “Sainte Cecile” Costieres de Nimes White
Old vine Roussanne with a bit of Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Fermented in steel and aged for a hot second in oak. Stone fruit and hibiscus on the nose with a whiff of toast and Nutella. The attack is lush and round, and only by the finish does the crisp underbelly of crab apple come into play. Flavors of quince and dry honey on the mid-palate and the finish is a full-on bakery: fresh dough, spices, and burnt butter. 92 Points