~50 ml pours, with all wines (and notes) single blind. All wines were very dark (durr) and primary looking, but I would not infer from this that they have a long way to go. Probably three wines already well off the cliff. It put me in mind of “wily coyote” pedalling through the air without quite realising that gravity has already caught up… While the wines were all disappointing in their own ways, the tasting was definitely one of the most informative I have been to – clearly demonstrating the problems that can arise with hot vintages, and the problems with giving much credence to gushing reviews when the wines are young and their flaws are perhaps yet to become apparent. “Favourites” really came down to what sort of flaw the tasters were most forgiving of.
Yann Chave Hermitage 2003
Blueberry and cassis, with some dustiness/dirt providing a modicum of complexity. More dark berries come to mind, somewhat jammy but one of the more balanced wines. In the context of the tasting, very “medium” and therefore inoffensive - less weighty, less jammy, less marred. Even a suggestion of florals. I could see me enjoying this wine another time. Medium finish, maybe becoming a bit high-toned. 87
Colombier Hermitage 2003
The most "French-smelling” of the wines, but perhaps not for positive reasons. Green stalky characters with olive and dirt, some fruit but much more shy. Really suggests that while sugars were ok the grapes were simply not physiologically ripe. Diffuse flavours, quite muddled, and then turning to hay. Might please a horse, but even then I would counsel care. Past its best, whatever that might have been. 79-
Tardieu Laurent Hermitage 2003
Actually some blood and minerals, but yes, mainly sweet berry fruit. Very full with creamy tannins. Good weight, sweetness balanced by some red juiciness to help maintain a wee bit of decorum. Choconilla comes out more with food. There is at least some prospect that the fruit will hold up against the oak in a few years. My favourite (I could handle the oak) due to texture and lack of burn, and group 2nd. 89+
Delas Hermitage Bessards 2003
The last comment I wrote down about this was “less awful with food”. But let’s rewind to the beginning: more dirty than the Colombier (brett), and more feral than I would like. Old tasting in a tired, disjointed sort of way – heavy fruit over here, cough syrup over there, oxo cubes – like mixing a couple of different wines with vodka and seeing what might happen. 76-
Remizieres Hermitage l’Essentiel 2003
The most liqueur-like wine, especially on the nose. A symphony of cherry masochism with Maraschino, beautifully ripe black cherries left to stew on a bed of hay, small Japanese red cherries ruined in sake. There is a brief period while the wine tightens, even showing some welcome salty iodine, but it is probably just a reflex spasm before death because towards the end all there is is the impression of oak liqueur with some burnt rubber. Admittedly I am less certain than with wines 2 and 4 that there will be no resurrection with time in the cellar, but it is scant hope. My fourth favourite! 83?
Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal 2003
A lot of varnish on this oak desk. Perhaps it blows away, or perhaps my sensitivity just reduces, so later I get blood and blackberries. A big hit in the mouth (as in smack or punch, not as in really good) with searing alcohol. Very port-like although I don’t want to disparage port at all. Some dried porcini suggest complexity remains a possibility, indeed the fruit is perhaps the most tight and in need of time cf the other wines. Today and for me the wine simply can’t carry its alcohol at all. Group favourite – I think it came down to whether you were more sensitive to high oak (the TL) or high alcohol (this one). Note that there are several other high alcohol wines I’ve at least somewhat enjoyed in the past (e.g. Clos St Jean super-cuvees) so I don’t consider myself super sensitive or purist on the matter. But this was taking the proverbial. YMMV. 86?