2020 Hermitage Blanc (Magnum, signed by Pascal Fayolle), Domaine des Martinelles

“The Golden Voice”

Glowing deep gold in the glass, this majestic Hermitage Blanc is pure Marsanne in full song - textured, expressive, and endlessly layered. The nose is captivating: toasted brioche, acacia blossom, and ripe pear mingle with notes of buttered almond, honey and wet stone. On the palate, it’s broad and luxurious, with creamy lees richness balanced by bright mineral tension. Waves of orchard fruit, citrus and spice unfold slowly, finishing long, saline, and effortlessly composed.

For when: dinner stretches into conversation and time seems to slow.
Pairs with: lobster, roast poultry, or creamy truffle pasta.
If this wine were a sound, it’d be a cello - deep, resonant, and full of quiet emotion.

From 45-year-old Marsanne vines grown on a small, south-facing slope of the famed Hermitage hill, this cuvée reflects the purest expression of the appellation’s noble white terroir. Aged for 18 months on fine lees in oak barrels, it combines power and finesse - richness from the barrel, energy from the vineyard, and balance from the hand of Pascal Fayolle, the family’s master craftsman. The 2020 vintage produced wines of remarkable clarity and concentration, and in magnum, this release promises a graceful evolution over the next two decades.

Drink: Now – 2038