Rhône

1) Appellation in the northern section of the Rhône wine-growing region in France, classified as a Cru vineyard site. The labels may also reflect the AC designations Ermitage, l´Ermitage or l´Hermitage. It is located in the southern part of the section, on the left bank of the Rhône river. In the north, it borders on the AC Crozes-Hermitage. The vineyard area totals 131 hectares, they are located in the communes of Crozes-Hermitage, Larnage and Tain-l`Hermitage in the département of Drôme. The Phoenicians brought viticulture to the region around 400 BC, and it is claimed they brought the Syrah grape with them. The name Hermitage is derived from the hermit’s hut of crusader Henri Gaspard de Sterimberg, who retreated to the hillside above Tain in 1224, and founded an hermitage (Ermitage in French, it is uncertain how the „H” was added) in order to devote himself to the region and its viticulture. His chapel is still in place. The wine has a ruby-red colour, and has an extremely long maturation potential, it is made mainly from Syrah (also known here as Hermitage) as well as a maximum of 15% of the white varieties Marsanne and Roussanne. The white wine is usually a blend made with Marsanne and/or Roussanne. The permitted maximum yield is 40 hl/ha. French writer Alexander Dumas (1802-1879) was a famous lover of Hermitage wines. Well-known producers include Albert Belle, Chapoutier, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Domaine du Colombier, Delas Frères, Philippe Desmeure, Faurie, Guigal, Jaboulet-Aîné and Tardieu-Laurent. There is also a white AC straw wine, Hermitage Vin de Paille made in small quantities from dried Roussanne and Marsanne grapes by a few producers, such as Chapoutier and Chave (see under vin de paille).