($315) Saturated ruby-red. More reserved aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice, minerals, cinders and spices. Juicy and tight, with a varietally accurate raw currant character. Fresh, intense and structured for the year. Finishes very long, with firm tannins and strong spice character.

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Matured in 50% new oak casks for 18-20 months, bottled without fining or filtration.Bright, dark crimson. Exotically masculine Hermitage perfumes ? not just the leather but the cologne too! Great array of flavours in an as-yet-unintegrated whole. Well done? Opulent fireworks notes.

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Year in and year out, one of the three greatest Hermitages made is Chapoutier's Le Pavillon. The black/blue-colored 2000 Ermitage Le Pavillon is brilliant out of bottle. Notes of graphite, ink, licorice, creme de cassis, and minerals jump from the glass of this syrup of Hermitage. Full-bodied, unctuously-textured, gorgeously rich, spectacularly concentrated and long, it is a tour de force in winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2040. (I disagree, but Michel Chapoutier feels his finest three Le Pavillons to date have been 1991 followed by 1995 and 2000. I retain a preference for the glorious trilogy of 1989, 1990, and 1991.)

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Fantastic. A great Syrah, thick and rich and ripe, opulent and full-bodied, delivering layers of blackberry, subtle oak and toasty notes, some mineral, smoked bacon and grilled meat. Gorgeous finish. It's tempting now but will go on for a long time.

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