M. Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 2020

Type: Red Wine      Volume: 750ml

Winery: M. Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 2020

Country: France     Region: Rhone

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Ratings and Tasting Notes:

RP100. Crushed stone, mint, blackberries and cassis all appear upon the nose of the 2020 Ermitage le Pavillon. The great vintages of these wines soak up the oak, like this one has. Full-bodied, concentrated and massive in scale, it's a mouthful of dark fruit flavors that gradually morph into something more savory on the long, silky-firm finish, adding notes of black olives and espresso. It's really impressive, as it maintains a sense of elegance all along its path. No matter how much time one spends with Michel Chapoutier, he always manages to say something surprising. As an owner of biodynamically farmed properties in the Rhône, a participant in several joint ventures, a proprietor in numerous wine regions, owner of a large négociant business and a former president of Inter Rhône (the region's trade body), he has a global perspective that's probably unmatched in the Rhône. Interestingly, on my latest visit, Chapoutier mentioned that he believes "Clairette is the real white grape of the south," despite not currently selling any wines that are majority Clairette. Unless those were empty words—not something I normally associate with him—I'd guess that may change going forward. These reviews are based on several visits with him and his winemaking team over the past couple of years, so they encompass some previously released wines tasted as tank samples as well as current and forthcoming releases.