| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Rhône > Northern Rhône > Hermitage |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 1993 Le Pavilion is the Hermitage of the Vintage. More austere than when I tasted it prior to bottling, it is one of the few 1993s with a sweet inner core of fruit, as well as a dense ruby/purple color, outstanding concentration and extract, and huge tannin in the finish. It is a harder style of Le Pavilion than the 1992, but it should turn out to be a 40- to 50-year wine. Last tasted 6/96.
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.
