Ermitage l'Ermite, Maison M. Chapoutier 2005

Lastly, from the very dome of the granite hill of Ermitage is the 2005 Ermitage l'Ermite. An extraordinarily powerful wine that probably needs 10-15 years in the bottle (last year I thought 20 was probably conservative), this is a 100-year wine and probably best appreciated by our descendants rather than anyone currently over the age of 30. Dense purple to the rim, with notes of crushed rock, charcoal, roasted meats, and enormous quantities of blue and black fruits, this wine is almost painfully rich and thick, with mouthsearing levels of tannin and zesty acidity. Monumental! Anticipated maturity: 2020-2080.

A deep garnet/purple hue. This is more bretty, animally you could almost say "stinky" on the nose (but I kinda like that.) Blackberry iodine and liquorice developing in the glass. Still tight aromatically, like a coiled spring. The palate is very well balanced with good acidity, perhaps the most complete of the three Ermitages. Lots of grip and persistency: compact, tannic and muscular with a long, smoky finish. Primal and feral now so it will need considerable cellaring.