1994 Ermitage Le Pavillon

The 1994 Ermitage Le Pavillon (Chapoutier drops the "H" out of respect for the ancient spelling of Hermitage) is another blockbuster, phenomenally concentrated wine. Le Pavillon is generally among the top three or four wines of France in every vintage! The 1994's opaque purple color, and wonderfully sweet, pure nose of cassis and other black fruits intertwined with minerals, are followed by a wine of profound richness, great complexity, and full body. It is almost the essence of blackberries and cassis. There is huge tannin in this monster Ermitage, that somehow manages to keep its balance and elegance. Made from a parcel of vines (which I have walked through), some of which pre-date the phylloxera epidemic, the 1994 Ermitage Le Pavillon should be purchased only by those who are willing to invest 10-12 years of cellaring. It will not reach full maturity before the end of the first decade of the next century, after which it will last for 30+ years. Oct 1996, www.robertparker.com