2005 Hermitage

The 2005 Hermitage Greffieux displays a more aromatic style, which suggests it is more evolved, with notes of acacia flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis, smoked herbs, and a scorched earthiness. The wine has sweet, but noticeable tannins, seems slightly more streamlined than his regular cuvee, with good acidity, medium to full body, and stunning purity. It is seemingly the more complex and finesse-styled of the two wines, but both are brilliant and I suspect the Greffieux only needs as much time as the regular cuvee. This is a producer who remains under the radar. I am still working through several cases of his 1990s that are remarkably young and youthful despite being 17 years of age. I am never sure how he bottles, but he has two cuvees of Hermitage, his regular cuvee and his single vineyard cuvee from the Greffieux vineyard. The Greffieux is bottled with a white/creamy capsule and his blend with a gold capsule. Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 332-4999

(assemblage; bottled with a white capsule with the code L07217 on the bottle)) Inky ruby. Dramatic bouquet of spicy red berries, baking spices, fresh flowers and minerals. The palate offers vibrant raspberry and candied cherry flavors, silky tannins and great spicy lift on the back end. For a serious vintage, this is incredibly pure, graceful and flat-out seductive, unless your idea of seduction is a pole dance.

Bright red. Deep, pungent cassis, tobacco and graphite aromas show a striking purity. Fresh and zesty, with concentrated red and dark berry flavors complemented by candied violet and a late hit of cracked pepper. Grows sweeter and deeper on the very long, sappy finish. This really clings to the palate.