The 1999 Hermitage blanc is a glorious effort. It is a 1,000-case blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, all from Les Rocoules, Maison Blanche, l'Ermite, and Peleat. It is an oily, unctuously-textured wine with low acidity, fabulous, concentrated, honeysuckle, citrus, liquid mineral, and acacia flower-like flavors. The finish lasts for nearly 45 seconds. It will be gorgeous young, but evolve for two decades or more.

The 1999 Hermitage blanc is a glorious effort. It is a 1,000-case blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, all from Les Rocoules, Maison Blanche, l'Ermite, and Peleat. It is an oily, unctuously-textured wine with low acidity, fabulous, concentrated, honeysuckle, citrus, liquid mineral, and acacia flower-like flavors. The finish lasts for nearly 45 seconds. It will be gorgeous young, but evolve for two decades or more. When I arrived at 6:00 p.m., September 11, 2001, at Domaine Chave, I found Chave in tears and his family distraught. I had heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center, but not the subsequent collapse of both towers. Gerard Chave knows all about suicidal bombers, having served in the French military during the Algerian revolution. It took a long time to gather sufficient focus to do my tastings. However, the brilliant wines that unfolded in the cellars were, at least for several hours, a much needed antidote for pushing to the back of my mind the horror of 9-11-01. Importers: Langdon Shiverick, Cleveland OH; tel. (216) 861-6800 and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524