January 21, 2024 - Spicy red , 3 hours of air had this wine drinking well. I think from a critical point of view this was a little less than the last 2 bottles I have been fortunate to drink over the last year or so. Fine wine.
January 12, 2024 - this was delicious and has a lovely balance to it - still a way to go and will undoubtedly get better and better - Le Pavillon has always been my favourite of Chapoutier's wines
January 10, 2024 - What a bottle. The youngest bottle of wine from the Northern Rhône I've had recently and this shows why patience is a virtue. The 1999 Chapoutier Ermitage 'Le Pavillion' has so much life ahead of it, but after a 45 minute decant, was singing on the night. The nose was typical of much of the Hermitage I've come to love, packaging a cigar box scent with aromas of blackcurrant, licorice and light mint on the backend. The palate exuded power and class as a tertiary-dominated upfront of iron and forest floor was balanced out by a mid-palate of dark cherries, raspberries and cedar wood before subtle notes of licorice and dark chocolate were introduced on the finish. This wine has such a long life ahead of it and is really just getting into its peak drinking window now.
November 24, 2023 - With all of the Bob P. purchases opened today, I feel like we should have invited him to Friendsgiving. Dark fruit, tar and white pepper in place in this beauty. Probably my favorite red of the day.
November 24, 2023 - Opens with notes of red plum, incense and black fruit. There's a terrific briny/tapenade quality in there as well. Structured, with abundant fruit and peppery spice flavors. Long finish. This is in a terrific spot at the moment, though there's no rush, either. 95-96 pts. (TLV)
October 29, 2023 - Very little sign of aging, more closed than expected. In fact, decided to decant. Matched perfectly with a carpaccio of dry-aged beef at Tony’s. Just the faintest hint of cork taint so was opened at the right time
September 8, 2023 - Dark colour taking on some brick but barely noticeable.
Red fruits, gentle and rounded fragrance with dark spice underpinning.
Soft and fleshy, mouthfeel of an older wine, gentle acidity. Lovely ripe berries with dark tar, smoke and oak char spice, definitely ready to drink. Lacking the drive I hoped for, but delicious nonetheless.
December 31, 2022 - Tasted immediately after opening, the wine showed classic Hermitage smoke, black fruits, and spices, and left me with great anticipation that this was going to be a monumental drinking experience after some decanting. However, after being open for 30 minutes, the wine had had become muted but quite smooth on the palate. A puzzling experience, which left me scratching my head on when to open our remaining bottles.
October 22, 2022 - 5 years since we had this ( Papies 95) and this time was lower than we remember albeit still an impressive wine. Just like with so many of his wines so much variation as the age ( the 2001 vintage is a great example and don't get us started on his whites) .
Savory wine, smoky, good dark fruit, quite the elegant wine for sure but also stop short of becoming great especially comparing it with others of its kin from Hermitage and Cote Rotie. We loved it for sure but we also wanted more. A solid 93 nonetheless and we have no clue how this sages.
October 9, 2022 - Was treated a few weeks ago to more of this wine at a gathering of old friends , wine was very good again. I guess this can get better but it is very good right now.