Cassis and crushed stone join on the nose of the 2017 Ermitage le Pavillon. More austere than les Geffieux or le Méal, le Pavillon is rooted more firmly in granite, with crisply defined edges and firm tannins. It's impressive for sure, full-bodied, loaded with extract and almost creamy across the mid-palate, but ultimately it needs time. Give it 10 years to soften and develop a bit more charm—it has the concentrated dark fruit to carry it the distance.

A damson juice nose is joined by a hint of dark chocolate and plum sauce, and also a warm stone aroma reminiscent of a young Pessac-Léognan. On the palate it's lovely and smooth, with a velvety mouthfeel, piercing acidity and super-fine tannins. It's a very long, direct, silky style that's more powerful and muscular than an average year, but retains its salinity, purity and elegance. 18 months in barriques and demi-muids, 25% new.

This is impressive with such fragrant, complex spices and violet flowers, cast across ripe blackberries and blueberries. Very youthful and fresh for now. The palate has a super rich and concentrated core of ripe dark plums and blackberries. Glossy, rich tannins are set in ripe and plush mode. Impressive composure in 2017. Drink or hold.

Deep, brilliant magenta. Displays powerful, expansive aromas of ripe black/blue fruits, incense and potpourri, with olive paste and exotic spice nuances building in the glass. Displays alluringly sweet, mineral- and spice-laced blackcurrant, boysenberry, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate and show outstanding delineation and back-end thrust.

Biodynamic. Cask sample. Far more fleshy and open and developed than their Greffieux and Méal, with a meaty, tarry character that is very tempting to drink now! Even the tannins are relatively tame, but there is plenty of ageing potential in the concentration of fruit and structure. Baked earth on the finish. (RH)

The inky colored 2017 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from the biggest, baddest part of Hermitage and was brought up all in 20-25% new French oak barrels. Huge crème de cassis, crushed flowers, graphite, and liquid rock notes all dominate the bouquet, and this massively rich, powerful, yet pure and classic Hermitage builds incrementally on the palate, has a wealth of tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Showing the sexy, expressive style of the vintage, it has some upfront charm, yet I suspect it will close down (as has the 2015) with a few years of bottle age and require a decade or more of cellaring. There are just 894 cases of this magical elixir. This was another stunning tasting with the team at Chapoutier. They’ve produced some of the wines of the vintage in both 2017 and 2018. The team here compares 2017 to 2007, which is a comparison I understand, even if I think the quality of their 2017s are a step up. Both vintages were hot and dry, and the wines have expressive, sunny profiles. I reviewed their top 2017 dry whites last year, but the 2017 reds showed spectacularly well this year, most coming in at the upper end of their barrel range. Looking at the 2018s, this is another blockbuster year at this estate and the wines reveal even deeper purple (almost blue) hues compared their 2017 counterparts as well as a touch more freshness in their aromatics reminiscent of a cooler vintage. Nevertheless, these are big, rich, concentrated wines that have building tannins and structure as well as loads of fruit, and are built for the cellar. One of the beauties of the 2018s is that the wines have a wonderful sense of freshness and purity reminiscent of a cooler year, yet paired with the fruit, depth, and richness of a warmer year. Lastly, the lineup here seems to grow each year and at present, includes two sparkling wines, three Saint-Péray, two Condrieu, two Cornas, four Côte Rôtie, six Crozes Hermitage, nine Hermitage, and six Saint Joseph. Also, there are a handful of Vin de France and IGP releases. The top “Sélections Parcellaires” cuvées range from 300 to 1,000 cases, and while they can be frightfully expensive, they’re among the greatest wines in the world. However, don’t overlook the value releases from Chapoutier, where you get serious bang for the buck.