2013 Hermitage La Petite Chapelle

Saturated ruby. Fresh blackberry and blueberry on the highly perfumed nose, complicated by sexy Indian spice and violet notes. Densely packed dark berry liqueur flavors pick up a candied licorice quality with air, along with hints of smoky minerals and fruitcake. Coats the palate and shows outstanding concentration, but there's no excess fat here. Finishes with firm, spicy cut, slow-building tannins and a suave echo of candied flowers.

The 2013 Hermitage la Petite Chapelle is more forward and approachable than the grand vin, giving up lots of granite-induced minerality, smoked earth, bouquet garni and assorted dark fruits in its medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, layered style. Coming from a mix of parcels and aged 15-18 months in roughly 20% new French oak, its should evolve gracefully for 10-15 years.

Opaque ruby. Deeply pitched black and blue fruit aromas show very good clarity, with spicy and floral nuances emerging with air. Sappy, concentrated and sharply focused, offering intense cassis and boysenberry flavors and a touch of licorice. The spicy note comes back strong on the insistent finish, which features a smoky mineral element and supple, harmonious tannins.