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Ermitage rouge le Pavillon 2003 AC, MO, M. Chapoutier

Country: France
Region: Côte du Rhône
Producer/appellation: Chapoutier M.
Wine type: Red wines
Year: 2003
Content: 300 cl
Oranic/bio dynamic: No

100

Jeb Dunnuck

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

Even better, and topping out on my scale, the 2003 Ermitage le Pavillon comes all from the granite soils of the Les Bessards lieu-dit and was aged 100% in new barrels. Its inky ruby/black color is followed by off the hook aromas and flavors of plum, creme de cassis, licorice, crushed rocks and violet/incense-like qualities. This gives way to a full-bodied, dense, seamless and textured 2003 that has building tannin, awesome concentration and a blockbuster finish. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades, although, as with the Le Meal, it’s gorgeous now. Finishing harvest at the end of August, Michel Chapoutier produced a monumental lineup of wines in 2003, and enough can’t be said about the quality coming for this estate. To say I was blown away would be an understatement.