WS NYWE Chapoutier Ermitage tasting

I have never understood the excitement of about Chapoutier's wines. There is some kind of house style there that just doesn't click with me (unfortunately I can't put my finger on exactly what it is). So I was looking forward to this tasting to test this theory of mine. Perhaps I'm just not great at tasting very young wines, but while this was a nice well made lineup, I just don't see the scores they get from the pros or the prices they get in the market. One less set of wines to chase I guess!

• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Le Méal 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full yellow color. medium tight nose of mineral white flower and white fruit. Tight perfumed white fruit with tight spice on the finish.

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• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Yellow color. Spicy feint white fruit nose. Nice richer yellow fruit but still tight mineral notes.

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• 2003 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full yellow color. Fullish canned tannic yellow fruit nose. Tight tannic yellow fruit with some mineral and spice. Round ripe butterscotch yellow fruit. Really took a while to open up and shine. To me, this was the best of the lineup.

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• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Les Greffieux 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full bright purple color. Bright nose of black raspberry and very tight bright black acidic fruit. Tight and young.

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• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full bright purple color. Subdued nose of red fruit with a note of gym socks. Nice spicy round red fruit with pepper notes. Much nice than the Greffieux.

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• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full purple color. medium feint nose of red cherry and cranberry. Nice focused spicy red fruit. More gravitas here with nice balanced structure. Still young of course.

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• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full deep purple color. Feint aroma of black cassis fruit. Very tight tannic black fruit wit hsome hint of pepper spice.

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• 2000 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Full deep red color. Medium round black fruit with olive hints. Big tight black olive fruit on the palate with searing tannin on the long finish.

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