Hermitage Hill – man, land and time

When you look at it, you don't know what impresses you most. The harmony of its lines, which stretch out to infinity, drawn by the rows of vines. Or the number of terraces and low dry stone walls, giving an idea of the phenomenal amount of work that has gone into getting to this point.

The Hermitage hill is a meeting place of ages, people and wine-making know-how. Its soils, unique in the world, are a treasure trove for those who understand them.

For M. CHAPOUTIER, talking about wine means talking about Terroirs. Or to be more precise, get the terroirs talking. What's special about the Hermitage hill is that it has several of them. A complex mosaic of soils, it is also, in a very real sense, the geological link between the Alps, the Massif Central and the Rhône, which meanders at its foot.

Its three mamelons stretch from west to east over 126 hectares. Between each of them, valleys have formed. They bring shade and light to the vines depending on the time of day. Variable exposure times are one of the distinctive features of each plot, and therefore of each wine.

The Hermitage hill: A multi-faceted hill

Michel Chapoutier has always sought out these specific characteristics. His story is one of discovering terroirs and unveiling their most sincere expression. And here, on the hill, the story is fascinating. For there is not one Hermitage, but multiple ones, and as many variations as there are plots.

A hilltop and heart of the hill will do not product the same expression. Running counter to the tradition of blending plots according to their exposure (plateau, hillside, plain, etc.) which seeks to play to play on their typicality, M. CHAPOUTIER proceeds differently. The idea is to reveal the signature of each Terroir, sometimes by emphasising the exuberance of a singularity, while seeking balance.

The Hermitage hill: meticulous attention to detail for a respected ecosystem

 
Hills mean hillsides. And by extension, particular growing methods. It is impossible to manoeuvre tractor here and only narrow caterpillar machines can find their way around the plains. The entire vineyard is worked by hand, with the help of horses to guide the winch and ploughs between the rows of vines on the hillsides.

The integrity of the ecosystem is respected thanks to biodynamic wine-growing methods. All of this is crucial for the protection of the Terroir.

The Hermitage hill: horses, sheep and...


Michel's had a rather original idea: in July, we welcomed four young New Zealand dwarf pigs of the kunekune breed. These new companions who help us with the superficial work on the soil: ploughing, weed and root removal ans over a limited period of time, beacause these patches mustn't be worked too hard. The Chamber of Agriculture is closely monitoring the results with us.

 

The Hermitage hill: a hill in need of classification


The important initiative is spearheaded in particular by the winegrowers of the Hermitage Hill: getting the northern hillsides listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a long-term process, which you would normally to last a decade. The first phase of the project involves producing a study of the Hermitage hill and working with experts to identify all possible claims. The work is carried out in collaboration with the local villages, authorities and actor, so as to put together a robust application. The Hill and its slopes would then join the 52 French sites already on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Biodiversity on the Hermitage hill


Fauna, flora, insects... M. CHAPOUTIER protects living world on its plots with protected areas, trees and hedges, and vegetation in and around the vineyard. We have permformed flora survey and set up nesting boxes, mostly made from recycled wine cases.

As well as maintaining biodiversity, it made sense to measure it as well. An observatory was set up in 2020 by ODG de l'Hermitage. Its mission is to monitor the consequences of climate change and the variations it imposes on plant life (yhe art of phenology). The aim is to gather as much data as possible for future studies. These observations follow the entire development of the plant (flowering, budburst, etc.), in conjunction with information gathered by three weather stations across the vineyard. Drones are also used to analyse temperatures on the ground and on the plants, from one Terroirs to the next.

There is also a census of the bat population, which could eventually help us to combat pests insect .

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