1997 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

Deep gold. Gorgeous, honeyed, nutty. Waxy and full of spice on the palate with a savoury nutty flavour. Full in the mouth but still stays really fresh. Oatmeal and spice and just incredibly long and has both power and intrigue. Opens up to a lemony freshness that gives it greater youth. Then that glorious savoury quality, almost sour, almost apricot. (JH)

Deep gold. Fantastic ! Lots of herbs and, as Julia points out, not unlike a mature champagne. Sweet start but not remotely cloying. So good it was tempting just to drink it, not describe it. Lovely texture. So spicy and succulent with a little bit of bitterness on the end. Rich and gingerbready. (JR)

The 1997 Hermitage rouge is unusual in its fruit-forward, user-friendly style. The color is a dense ruby/purple. The gorgeous, evolved bouquet of cassis, minerals, herbs, underbrush, and licorice is intense. Creamy-textured, full-bodied, and opulent, this low acid, gloriously ripe, layered 1997 can be drunk now, but promises to be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it will last for 20-25 years. Importers: Langdon Shiverick, Cleveland OH; tel. (216) 861-6800 and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524