2015 Hermitage Chante Alouette

This shows a waxy edge with savory hay and grassy notes dominating the nose. The palate has impressive power and poise, a neat mineral thread with apple fruits and a handy texture. Finishes crisp; Drink now until 2025. Again, exclusively marsanne here, this time from quartz-studded clay soils. Oct 2016, www.jamessuckling.com

Full yellow. The bouquet shows carbonic gas, gives an ample air of mango and pineapple, on the exotic trail it goes. There is a ripe apricot aroma more usually associated with hermitage and Marsanne. Vanilla an lime also feature. The attack carries carbonic gas with its slight spritz feel; the flavour centres on cooked lemon, orange peel, has a tangy close. This is elegant, authentic Marsanne-fuelled Hermitage blanc: it requires leaving until 2019. I wish the carbonic gas didn’t distract me so much. As a result, the finish is fine, airborne, not a real Road Runner. This will be easy for the drinkers unaccustomed to white Rhônes. Oct 2016, www.drinkrhone.com