Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Chapoutier Ermitage Tasting
Alpharetta, GA
Tasted September 25, 2017 by Rezy13 with 203 views
Flight 1 - Hermitage Blanc (2 notes)
White
2007 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Le Méal
Golden green; golden apple, poached pear, big and rich, apricot, lemon, waxy, oak, marzipan, pie crust; waxy and rich on the palate as well, luxurious texture teetering on heavy, minerality, yellow and green fruit, still youthful; delicious.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White
2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée
Much deeper gold with a little yellow; very honeyed nose, beeswax, backed apple, heavy and rich, showing some age, ripe, peach almost marmelade; viscous, hint of Cognac, nutty, still some oak, oxidative, possibly advanced a hair, big and somewhat boozy; very good but prefer the 2007 Le Meal Blanc to this.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 2 - 1999 Flight (3 notes)
Red
1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal
Beautiful color, reddish violet showing some clarity; menthol, higher toned raspberry plum, juicy dark fruit, more modern, blue fruit, a touch of angular tannin but still a certain silkiness, high toned, not screaming Syrah except for a slight peppery note; a juicier example with great drinkability but less power and richness, tasty now and should age for a while longer.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
Darker cloudier core with more purple in rim; nose of darker fruit, blackberry, plum, somber power, silkier tannin, slight mineral, hints at olives and violets, a certain brine and minerality, silkier tannin with good power; very good.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 3 - 2004 Flight (3 notes)
Red
2004 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal
Reddish violet, good clarity; violets and sweet purple fruit, oak, some balm, blue fruit; slight angular tannin, fresher fruit, somewhat light and modern.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2004 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
Reddish violet, surprised by the clarity; more of a dusty nose, somber and powerful, pepper, violets, more classic, very nice nose; big and plush on the palate, rich mouthfeel, sweet slightly cooked fruit, savory; love it.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2004 M. Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite
Duller dark maroon; pop of sweet oak with floral notes, sweet fruit that continues onto the palate, savory, a glycohol type of sweetness to the fruit, tasty but doesn't scream N. Rhone to me, liqueur fruit, raspberry, glycerin; delicious but quite modern.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 4 - 2005 Flight (2 notes)
Red
2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal
Ruby maroon, clarity; very ripe and youthful, juicy berry, blue, raspberry, meaty; savory, sappy, some tannin, high toned, alcohol stands out a bit; needs plenty of air or more cellaring to settle.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite
Similar color to the '05 Meal; a very new smell to this one, almost jammy fruit, plum jam, oak vanilla, fresh but may be heading towards a sur maturité, white pepper, oak, dense, old vine savoriness, palpable minerality, powerful, lower acid; needs time.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 5 - Dessert & Cellar Raid (6 notes)
Red
1970 Château Prieuré-Lichine
Cloudy chocolate purple; all leather and tea, some soy and fennel, some fruit but dusty; old on the palate, juicy acid, soy, balsamic, some plum and olives; a touch of fruit but quite tired.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2007 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Vin de Paille
Amber; slight sherried note, nutty, marmelade, sweet apricot and almost orange, seems like a touch of oak, higher toned; delicious.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
Cloudy purple maroon; black pepper, olives, fennel, sweaty, leather in background, finishes a touch short with some bitterness, lacks punch; pretty disappointing.
Red
2001 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah
Cloudy, lighter dull purple rim; tanned leather, pomegranate, cranberry, cocoa powder, olive, dusty, sour plum, herbaceous; slight weedy, currant, plusher tannin, plummy, root vegetables, Syrah like, lots of character, cigarette ash, singed fruit, olive; ready to go.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1989 Château Margaux
Darker cloudy core with lighter rim; reeks of Bordeaux, earth, olive, green pepper, slight coffee, tobacco, purple plummy fruit, dark mahogany, cedar, some mushroom, tighter on the palate, big, powerful, aromatic, has presence and richness, very savory; delicious.
Red
2010 Michel Sarrazin et Fils Givry 1er Cru Les Bois Gauthiers
Still bright and juicy, sour cherry, cranberry with a darker fruit edge, still drinking well above its price; tasty.
Closing
Great tasting. Most of the wines showed quite youthfully and somewhat under-developed. Thought many were missing strong N. Rhone characteristics. The Pavillons to me, were the strongest of the bunch regardless of vintage. Depth and richness well above the other wines. Incredible food, hospitality and then the wines afterward were over the top.