M. Chapoutier, Ermitage Le Pavillon 1994

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 1994 Le Pavilion is a blockbuster, phenomenally concentrated wine. Le Pavilion is generally among the top three or four wines of France in every vintage! The 1994's opaque purple color, and wonderfully sweet, pure nose of cassis and other black fruits intertwined with minerals, are followed by a wine of profound richness, great complexity, and full body. It is almost the essence of blackberries and cassis. There is huge tannin in this monster Hermitage, that somehow manages to keep its balance and elegance. Made from a parcel of vines (which I have walked through), some of which predate the phylloxera epidemic, the 1994 Ermitage Le Pavilion should be purchased only by those who are willing to invest 10-12 years of cellaring. It will not reach full maturity before the end of the first decade of the next century, after which it will last for 30 + years. Last tasted 6/96.

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Young Michel Chapoutier continues to raise considerable controversy wherever he goes. His unequivocable belief in the principles of Bio-Dynamic farming and his youthful confidence, that may come across as arrogance and a display of too little respect for his more experienced and more elderly peers, have not made life easy for Chapoutier, despite the number of great wines he has produced. This is all lamentable given the fact that Michel Chapoutier would be the first to acknowledge the debt he owes producers such as Marcel Guigal, Gerard Chave, Francois and Jean-Pierre Perrin, and Jacques Reynaud for leading the way. Producers who are as committed to quality as Chapoutier should attract supporters rather than detractors. The work which Chapoutier is doing, along with the work of many other top Rhone Valley producers only creates more interest in the wines of that region. Chapoutier is extremely pleased with his 1994s, claiming it is a vintage not far removed from the powerful 1990. The crop size was extremely small, with yields generally between 1-2 tons of fruit per acre. Where pertinent, I have indicated lot numbers because of complaints about bottle variation with certain cuvees of the Chapoutier wines, most notably the firm's branded wines, Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonnieres, St.-Joseph Deschants, and the two cuvees of Hermitage, Chante Alouette and La Sizeranne. Bottle variation can be the result of a number of factors, such as dissimilar blends (unlikely at this winery) or poor shipping and/or storage conditions, thus abusing the wine (the most likely culprit). Among the Chapoutier red wine offerings from Crozes-Hermitage and St.-Joseph, the 1993s are noticeably less impressive today than they were when tasted prior to bottling. Since no fining or filtering is done, it is hard to envision why the wines taste so much more tannic and less opulent and rich than they did earlier. Michel Chapoutier believes he should have bottled his regular 1993 cuvees earlier to preserve the fruit as this vintage's fruit was fragile and began to disappear at an extremely early age. The 1994s exhibit greater color, ripeness, and richness than the 1993s. The greatest wine of the Chapoutier portfolio is the spectacular Ermitage Le Pavillon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered and made from a parcel of 80-year old vines on the two hillside vineyards of Les Bessards (also the backbone component of Chave's Red Label luxury Cuvee Cathelin) and Le Meal, this is Hermitage at its most concentrated and intense. Yields are generally about 15-18 hectoliters per hectare. This wine requires 8-10 years of cellaring and is capable of lasting 40-50 years. The 1989, 1990, and 1991 Ermitage Le Pavillon (Chapoutier drops the "H" in deference to the way Hermitage was spelled in the last century) are potentially legendary wines, but they have long been sold out. No Le Pavillon since 1991 is a candidate for perfection, but the 1992, 1993, and 1994 are all exceptional wines. The 1994 Le Pavillon is opaque purple-colored, with a sweet, jammy, cassis-scented bouquet, a thick, viscous texture, awesome fruit extraction, and huge tannin in the long finish. The great ripeness achieved in the 1994 is especially noticeable when tasted next to the 1993 and 1992. This wine should turn out to be the finest Le Pavillon of the last three vintages. All of these wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Importer: Paterno Imports, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 247-7070

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 1994 Ermitage Le Pavillon (Chapoutier drops the "H" out of respect for the ancient spelling of Hermitage) is another blockbuster, phenomenally concentrated wine. Le Pavillon is generally among the top three or four wines of France in every vintage! The 1994's opaque purple color, and wonderfully sweet, pure nose of cassis and other black fruits intertwined with minerals, are followed by a wine of profound richness, great complexity, and full body. It is almost the essence of blackberries and cassis. There is huge tannin in this monster Ermitage, that somehow manages to keep its balance and elegance. Made from a parcel of vines (which I have walked through), some of which pre-date the phylloxera epidemic, the 1994 Ermitage Le Pavillon should be purchased only by those who are willing to invest 10-12 years of cellaring. It will not reach full maturity before the end of the first decade of the next century, after which it will last for 30+ years. Chapoutier's top cuvees are consistently among the world's greatest wines. Unfortunately, they are made in extremely small quantities, ranging from 250 cases of the St.-Joseph Les Granites, to 600 cases of the Hermitage La Pavillon. They are also expensive, but no one can argue the fact that consumers are getting some of the world's greatest, most natural expressions of terroir, varietal character, and vintage personality. Moreover, these special cuvees have been remarkably brilliant in such difficult vintages as 1992 and 1993, where the finest Rhone wines were produced by Chapoutier. If my tasting notes read like a promotional campaign for this estate, it is because these are among the greatest wines I have ever tasted. Michel Chapoutier is quick to say that 1995 is one of the all-time great vintages for the northern Rhone, and in particular for Chapoutier. He compares it with 1990, 1961, and 1947. He is also quick to see the problems that 1995 presented, and the fact that too many Rhone Valley producers followed the same pattern as in 1994. In the latter vintage, it was essential to harvest early, but in 1995 harvesting early only produced wines that were made from physiologically unripe fruit, with extremely high acidity. Chapoutier's top vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, Cote Rotie, and Hermitage were harvested very late - in early October. He claims that in the five years that have passed since the great 1990 vintage, he is a far more talented winemaker as he "knew how to make noise in 1990, but now I know how to make music." Yields were tiny throughout all the estate vineyards, with most of the vineyards coming in under 20 hectoliters per hectare, and some of the top vineyards harvesting under a ton of fruit per acre. All in all, 1995 looks to be a sensational vintage for Chapoutier, with a number of extremely long-lived wines. Moreover, now that the 1994s have had some time in bottle, it can be said that 1994 is also a great vintage for this firm. Importer: Paterno Imports, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 247-7070