2010 Hermitage Rouge, Les Miaux, Domaine Ferraton

A blend from two communes; the alluvial Dionnières and the pebbly Méal, this wine has been treated to an extended maceration (over four weeks) then 14 months in barrel. Notes of blueberry and crème de cassis dominate this powerful and fleshy wine; profound in texture and profoundly satisfying.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

The re-emergence of Ferraton as a great producer has taken awhile, and for a year or so I felt that the quality of the wines actually merited greater plaudits than those hitherto garnered. That changed with the 2009s when a commentator who shall remain nameless, offered lavish praise, a praise which I suspect is equally merited with the excellent range of 2010s.Damien Brisset has some very well located vines and is now exploiting their potential with real skill.

Domaine Ferraton

The 2010 Ermitage Les Dionnieres and 2010 Hermitage Le Miaux are slightly less powerful and rich than their 2009 counterparts, but both ooze with blue and black fruit, licorice, graphite, black truffle and earth characteristics. Le Miaux has a fleshier, beef blood-like intensity and Les Dionnieres is a slightly smokier, more evolved effort. Both are top-notch wines that should drink well for 20-25 years.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate #197 Oct 2011)

If the turn around in quality of the Paul Jaboulet-Aine wines is the biggest good news story of qualitative improvement in the northern Rhone, what Michel Chapoutier has accomplished with Ferraton is a close second. This is definitely a name to be taken seriously, as Chapoutier has expanded the portfolio and continues to upgrade the quality across the board. Ferraton’s 2009s and 2010s are the finest wines made to date. There appears to be three levels of quality now being produced, beginning with the generic bottlings, to the single vineyard (or lieu-dit) offerings, followed by the top of the line, more expensive, limited production efforts called selections parcellaires.