Ermitage l'Ermite Rouge, Maison M. Chapoutier 2007

Ruby-red. Seductively perfumed bouquet of dark berry preserve and cherry aromas, with complicating notes of pungent herbs and anise. Pliant, deeply concentrated dark fruit and floral pastille flavors, with a smoky, pungently herbal quality adding another element. This smooth, alluring wine finishes with noteworthy sweetness and persistent fruit and violet notes.

A more near-term candidate for consumption is the 2007 Ermitage l'Ermite. It is a more austere, slightly less concentrated effort possessing notes of powdered rock as well as red and black fruits, full-bodied power, and a long finish. It is not among the pantheon of the most compelling Ermitage l'Ermites made by Michel Chapoutier, but it is certainly an outstanding one. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035..