M. Chapoutier
"Le Pavillon" Ermitage Syrah
Hermitage, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France
Inky with dark plum, spice, black pepper. Some dried herbs. Quite primary still but very balanced. Intense. Very good- with years ahead
Inky with dark plum, spice, black pepper. Some dried herbs. Quite primary still but very balanced. Intense. Very good- with years ahead
Jan 21st, 2023
Bacon, leather, black pepper jerky. Figs, dried cherry blossom. A great wine, but a little over the hill.
Bacon, leather, black pepper jerky. Figs, dried cherry blossom. A great wine, but a little over the hill.
Dec 17th, 2022
A lovely, luxurious and archetypal version of Syrah that showed very well alongside the other late-90’s examples from Hermitage on the table. I felt this showed a little bit better than the “La Chapelle” but it was really close. It’s showing some charming secondary characteristics but has plenty of gas left in the tank.
A lovely, luxurious and archetypal version of Syrah that showed very well alongside the other late-90’s examples from Hermitage on the table. I felt this showed a little bit better than the “La Chapelle” but it was really close. It’s showing some charming secondary characteristics but has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Sep 17th, 2022
Big black and blue...immediate stank of meat/smoke/pepper/funk/bacon...mellowed out later..delicious with aggressive tannins and acid and long finish...still a baby..great in 15 years...
Big black and blue...immediate stank of meat/smoke/pepper/funk/bacon...mellowed out later..delicious with aggressive tannins and acid and long finish...still a baby..great in 15 years...
Mar 29th, 2021
1999 vintage. One of the most famous (H)Ermitage wines and it is great indeed. Blackberry fruit, spices and leather in the nose that is still holding back. Needs time to breathe. Intense and layered with still a lot of black fruit, fresh acidity and a powerful structure of very ripe tannin. Very long fresh spicy finish. Excellent (which it should be at a 200 euros price tag).
1999 vintage. One of the most famous (H)Ermitage wines and it is great indeed. Blackberry fruit, spices and leather in the nose that is still holding back. Needs time to breathe. Intense and layered with still a lot of black fruit, fresh acidity and a powerful structure of very ripe tannin. Very long fresh spicy finish. Excellent (which it should be at a 200 euros price tag).
Feb 9th, 2021
Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.
Fantastic showing. Unmistakably Rhône. It smells of charred potpourri, spicy rhubarb and tea leaves. On the palate, it was light and nimble with a decidedly black pepper like finish. I was very confident this was southern Rhône CdP as I didn’t get any smoked meat or iron type notes like I typically do with northern Rhône. Just a hint of sweetness in the black cherry core to bring out the acidity and smooth the tannins. I called this southern Rhône CdP from the mid 2000s.
Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.
Fantastic showing. Unmistakably Rhône. It smells of charred potpourri, spicy rhubarb and tea leaves. On the palate, it was light and nimble with a decidedly black pepper like finish. I was very confident this was southern Rhône CdP as I didn’t get any smoked meat or iron type notes like I typically do with northern Rhône. Just a hint of sweetness in the black cherry core to bring out the acidity and smooth the tannins. I called this southern Rhône CdP from the mid 2000s.
July 4th Friday was a total blowout! Killer bottles one after another. Here are just a few of the bottles we all enjoyed!
Label looks a bit questionable but the wine was sound. Less meat/smokiness to it than expected (but I wasn’t able to stick around and see if the last bit changed with more time). Dark floral notes, Chinese five spice, black pepper aromatically with muddled rhubarb and some iron at the finish. Holding strong.
July 4th Friday was a total blowout! Killer bottles one after another. Here are just a few of the bottles we all enjoyed!
Label looks a bit questionable but the wine was sound. Less meat/smokiness to it than expected (but I wasn’t able to stick around and see if the last bit changed with more time). Dark floral notes, Chinese five spice, black pepper aromatically with muddled rhubarb and some iron at the finish. Holding strong.
Blind Rhône’s from Saturday. I wanted more here. Some interesting graphite, scorched earth notes that I associate more with Graves....but the expression of fruit just wasn’t there. Dark, brooding and frankly, kinda dull right now. Perhaps in a dumb phase.
Blind Rhône’s from Saturday. I wanted more here. Some interesting graphite, scorched earth notes that I associate more with Graves....but the expression of fruit just wasn’t there. Dark, brooding and frankly, kinda dull right now. Perhaps in a dumb phase.
Jun 16th, 2019