($150) Saturated ruby. Superripe aromas of blackberry, blueberry, clove, minerals and black licorice. Very ripe but precise and penetrating. At once lush and powerful; seamless but with terrific thrust. Black fruit, flint, spice and dark chocolate flavors offer considerable density and verve. Finishes with substantial noble tannins that arrive very late. Has all the elements for longevity. Give this 10 to 12 years before pulling the cork. This comes across as a bit denser than the young 2001 but not finer. The Chaves clearly did a superb job of harvesting in 2000.

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100% Syrah, partial de-stemming, vinified in mixture of oak, stainless steel and cement vats, maturation in mixture of new and (mainly) used oak casks and large old oak.Very dark crimson. Rich, seductive nose. Very complete with lots of freshness still on the palate. 'Just’ 13 per cent. This wine seems as though it will be drinkable before, say, Chapoutier’s. Not a blockbuster but very nuanced.

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Along with the single vineyard offerings from Michel Chapoutier, Chave's 2000 Hermitage is a candidate for this appellation's "wine of the vintage." A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by sumptuous aromas of licorice, blackberries, currants, spice box, and earth. Deep, full-bodied, and rich, with moderately high tannin, it is atypical for the vintage given its structure and density (two characteristics most 2000 northern Rhones lack). It is a brilliant achievement in a challenging year.

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Beautiful, round, deep and lush wine. Rich, ripe, elegant, but packed with mineral, plum and other black fruit. Terrific sense of place and terroir. The fruit could be riper, but this is full-bodied and opulently smooth on the finish. Tempting now, but will improve with medium-term cellaring.

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Too young in 2007