M Chapoutier, Ermitage Le Meal Blanc 2020

"This relatively warm, early-ripening terroir has yielded a wine that's full-bodied yet with an almost custard-like silky texture. Toasted grain, lemon custard, crushed stone, pear and melon notes mingle easily on the nose of Chapoutier's 2020 Ermitage le Méal Blanc. The long, zesty finish is marked by a slight hint of bitterness that seems to come into this parcellaire from time to time." - Wine Advocate

"Almond, quince and a touch of rhubarb at this early stage; you sense the ripeness, but it's not exotically fruity in 2020. The silkiness and glycerol on the palate are quite present, this sample shows plentiful oak, lending matchstick and cashew to the finish. An elegant vintage of Le Méal. Well balanced, far from massive. Not as powerful or concentrated as the past few vintages, this will drink well young, and age into the medium term. Not a hugely-long lived Méal I suspect, but a delightful one nonetheless." - Decanter