TN: 1993 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage)

WINE TALK
1

A darker, more black fruited and dark stoniness to this. Honestly quite a nice nose. Meat, dark fruit, black olives, iodine, and dark fruit. There is Hermitage dirt, roasted meat, and heme underneath the texturally rounder and deeper fruit. Still more on the fruited and stony side than the savory side, but the savory and secondary side is starting to come out. I know his wines get a hard time and there are those who really dislike his wines, but I do feel that his wines (at least with the only chance to see from '89) that they do turn into Hermitage with time and something special at that. I do think Chapoutier’s wines start to show their terroir very well, it just takes 20 years. The tannins to get a little astringent on the back end, with the feel of unripe pips. The nose promises more than the palate delivers, this will never be a profound wine. That said I feel it is an outstanding wine and truly an accomplishment for the vintage. Still plenty young, but I fear the tannins will win over the fruit in time. Well done. 90 pts (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

2

1993 was a TERRIBLE vintage in the Northern Rhone (which you alluded to). It is a testament to Chapoutier as not only a winemaker, but a brilliant farmer, that he makes excellent and even great wines in challenging years. While I generally believe that I can buy down in a great vintage to maximize my wine QPR, Chapoutier is one of the few that I feel provide very good value in off vintages.

3

Good point - picked up some 2002s for a relative song and they have all performed very nicely.

4

Which ones? I too did this. So far I have gone through my St Joseph Granits, and have been working on the Cote Rotie Morderee. I have yet to try any Ermitage. Very happy I did this. Only regret is that I shoudl have bought 3X as much!