Ermitage Le Pavillon, Maison M. Chapoutier 2006

There are nearly 1,200 cases of the 2006 Ermitage Le Pavillon. Since Michel Chapoutier released his first full vintage, 1989, of this single vineyard Hermitage, it has been one of the great wines of both France and the world. The 1989 and 1990 remain very young wines (I had them over the holiday break and was amazed by their still youthful personalities.). The inky/purple-hued 2006 exhibits a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, white flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, graphite, and a subtle touch of oak. Exceptionally full-bodied, multilayered in concentration, extraordinarily pure, and long, this is a prodigious young Hermitage that should be at its finest between 2018-2050+

Showing more minerality than the le Meal, yet more plushness and sexiness than the l’Ermite, the 2006 Ermitage le Pavillon is a tour de force that gives up sensational notes of crushed rocks, blackberries, currants, smoked meats and licorice. It shows a touch of iron and bloodiness with time in the glass, is full-bodied, seamless and incredibly layered on the palate. There’s no shortage of tannin either and this beauty needs 4-5 years of cellaring to hit full maturity, and will keep for another 2-3 decades.