2011 Ermitage Blanc Le Meal

Vivid gold. Heady orchard and pit fruit aromas are complicated by anise, buttered toast and iodine, with a sexy floral nuance emerging with aeration. Fleshy and deeply pitched, offering wonderfully concentrated pear, nectarine and melon flavors and a zesty jolt of orange pith on the back half. Closes with superb energy and a very persistent honeydew note. I'd love to try this superb wine alongside some heavy-hitters from the Cote d'Or.

Bright gold. Mineral-accented peach, pear and Meyer lemon aromas are deepened by notes of toasty lees and vanilla. Juicy citrus, quince and peach pit flavors give way to riper melon with air but show excellent nerve. Really clings to the palate, finishing broad, bright and impressively long. Rich and energetic.

Surprisingly, I preferred the 2011 Ermitage le Meal Blanc over the 2012 on this occasion and it showed a more flamboyant, sexy style in its caramelized pineapple, tropical, honeyed and floral personality. Big, rich and decadent, with fabulous fruit intensity and length, this rock star flirts with perfection and will keep for another 3-4 decades. Sep 2015, www.robertparker.com