Just back from an amazing mini-trip to the northern Rhone to visit Chapoutier, who are the largest vineyard holders in Hermitage, one of the world’s great wine appellations.

Hermitage is the home of Syrah, but also makes some fabulous white wines, chiefly from Marsanne. But it’s a relatively small appellation, occupying a contiguous block of a long hill, facing south on the other side of the Rhone river from Tournon. It has just 98 hectares of Syrah, and 25 hectares of white grapes, with Chapoutier owning 34 hectares (compared with Jaboulet at 25 ha, Chave at 14 ha, the co-op at 20 ha and Delas at 10 ha).

I visited with fellow internet dude Chris Kissack, and Elizabeth Ferguson of Mentzendorff. We were ably hosted by Michel Chapoutier, his general manager Pierre-Henri Morel and export director Nelly France. There was also a film crew in attendance – Olivier Magny of O Chateau was filming a TV series.

I’ll be writing this amazing visit up in full. For now, some pictures.