Hermitage

[Andre]

When getting back to outstanding wines, a warm-up may be in place:

Hermitage Tardieu-Laurent 1996

Deep red-garnet moving towards brick color.

Dry earthy aromas, herbs, Leather, and spice form a rather complex and fairly typical nose while cloves and nutmeg dominating the spice scene. Vanilla and oak add to the complex nose.

Medium to full bodied, soft on the entry with notable acidity, prune juice and gooseberries form the base of this ripe and rich wine.

Good formation of a soft entry-good acidity and ripe flavors are repeated in dif. angles through every sip.

Drink now-2007.

Tasted April 21st 2005.

Ermitage Le Pavillon, M.Chapoutier 1989

Bottle Number 4772.

Blind drinking this wine over an hour or so was quite an experience.

Massive and concentrated nose of herbs, spice, leather, tobacco with an earthy finish. Dried concentrated fruits started to develop some 10 minutes into the experience.

Massive an full bodied expression of Le Pavillon with plenty of chewy tannins and adequate acidity to keep this wine going over ten years.

A heavily equipped wine in need of a fine piece of aged beef as raw as possible.

Drink now – 2015.

Tasted April 8th 2005.

Hermitage Domaine Jean-Louis Chave 1989

Discovering fine creations requires will and patience.

Very slow to open, gentle aromas of mild fruit, nutmeg and fresh herbs, hardly give away this gentle giants age.

Smooth on the entry with constant and superbly balanced flavors with a long and perfectly blended spice and fruit finish.

Half an hour later and the hulk awakens. Layers upon layers of herbs, mushrooms, earthy aromas, sweet black cherries and herbs mingle to form a unity reserved for the finest creations of art.

What an experience.

Drink 2006-2012.

Tated April 8th 2005.

Great wines may be enjoyed only by those who surrender to them.