2013 - Ermitage Le Pavillon, M. Chapoutier

The star of the show in 2013 is the 2013 Ermitage le Pavillon. Coming from the west and eastern edges of the Bessards lieu-dit and aged in 30% new French oak, its sensational black/blue color is followed by the awesome bouquet of cassis, smoked earth, graphite and caramelized meats that could come from no other terroir in the world. Full-bodied, massive, dense, sexy and with a liquid rock-like character that comes out with time in the glass, it has sweet tannin and a blockbuster finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It needs 5-6 years of cellaring and will have 30-40 years of more of ultimate longevity.

Saturated ruby. Pungent, spice- and mineral-accented aromas of dark fruits, candied violet and licorice pick up a peppery topnote in the glass. Sappy, incisive and pure, offering vivacious, deeply concentrated black raspberry and boysenberry flavors and a spicy topnote. The endless finish shows superb clarity and power, harmonious tannins and a strong mineral quality.

4 ha, 100% Syrah. This wine comes from lieu-dit Les Bessards. The plot has a specific geology: It is composed of a fine layer of sediment lying on granitic subsoil. The 65-year-old vines are located at an altitude of approximately 130 metres on the Hermitage hill, above the ruins of a stone house giving its name to the wine. With tiny yields (20 hl/ha), this is perhaps the most complex of the various Ermitage wines. Mid crimson with purple highlights. Very direct and fresh on the nose. Really quite low key and modest in structure though very well balanced. Gouleyant. Bone-dry finish. Very lively but a fresher Hermitage than usual. (JR)