A superbly balanced example of this selection, the 2020 Ermitage de l'Orée—sourced from the clay soils of Les Murets—features scents of crushed stone, toasted grain, white peach and ripe melon. Showing no ill effects from its recent bottling at the beginning of September, it's full-bodied, silky and elegant, with a long, harmonious finish.

Showing considerably better than it did the last time I tasted it, the 2019 Ermitage de l'Orée boasts notes of toasted grain and ripe, honeyed peaches. Full-bodied and expansive, it's opulent, richly textured and long, with waves of flavor echoing on the finish. Any bitter notes seem to have been seamlessly incorporated into the wine's impressive mouthfeel.