2005 Reds
Ermitage Rouge Le Pavillon - 98RP
The biggest production cuvee, the 2005 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,067 cases in this vintage)
has a dense purple color, the classic acacia flower, graphite-based, smoky creme de cassis
nose with a tremendous intensity and a full-bodied power and richness that is awesome.
These are monumental wines, and when you think that this wine, much like most of its
siblings, is made from yields of 12-18 hectoliters per hectare, the explanation for
its concentration and extraordinary expression of terroir is obvious.

Ermitage Rouge l'Ermite - 99RP
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.

Ermitage Rouge Le Meal - 96RP
There are 481 cases of the black/purple 2005 Ermitage Le Meal. As always, classic blackberry,
asphalt, charcoal, and beef blood notes jump from the glass of this intense wine.
Full-bodied, with staggering concentration and a personality not terribly dissimilar from
a first-growth Pauillac, but showing no evidence of oak whatsoever (and that is in spite
of being aged in 100% new oak casks), this wine needs 10-12 years of bottle age, and should
keep for 50-100 years.

Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac - 96RP
The blockbuster 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac shows classic garrigue notes intermixed
with ground pepper, lavender, and sweet black currant and black cherry notes with hints of
raspberry and olive. The wine is full-bodied has a boatload of tannin, fabulous concentration,
and a finish of close to 50 seconds. This is a brilliant Barbe Rac that should be at its best
between 2010 and 2025.

Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois - 95RP
The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois is brilliant. Notes of licorice, seaweed, cedar,
and copious black currant and sweet cherry notes are present in the provocative aromatics.
Ripe, full-bodied, and dense, with moderately high tannin, terrific concentration, and a
deep ruby color, this is a brilliant wine that tips the scales at 16.5% natural alcohol,
whereas the 2006 was at 15.3%. Look for the 2005 to hit its peak in 2-3 years and last
for 15 or more years.

2005 Whites
Ermitage Blanc l'Ermite - 95RP
At the very top of the appellation's dome of decomposed granite is l'Ermite. This wine
is the equivalent of drinking liquified rocks.The 2005 Ermitage l'Ermite blanc has that
multi-layered mouthfeel, an extraordinary nose of intense minerality, quince, and white
fruits. Some of the vines in this parcel are 130 years old, and the wine has over-the-top
richness yet amazing acidity, depth, and a freshness that is hard to believe given its
power and intensity.

Ermitage Blanc De L'Oree - 98RP
The 2005 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is a spectacular wine, with notes of nectarine, quince,
honeyed hazelnuts, honeysuckle, and an almost exotic note buttressed by excellent acidity
and no notice of any oak. The wine has prodigious richness and a full-bodied intensity that
needs to be tasted to be believed. This is stunning stuff that should drink well for 50 or
more years, but you can drink it over the next 4-5 years or forget it for 12-15. My aging
curve on all of these single-vineyard wines is pretty much the same, and these are very
strong vintages with higher acidity than 2005.

Ermitage Vin de Paille (Sweet) Halves - 96-98RP
The 2005 Ermitage Vin de Paille has a dark amber color, much more noticeable acidity than
the 2004, but tastes as unctuous, yet with considerable precision. The truffle notes are
not nearly as intense, but the wine does exhibit plenty of honeysuckle, caramel, and
marmalade notes in a full-bodied, sweet style. This wine cuvee has between 100 and 159
grams of residual sugar, and the finished alcohol is approximately 15%.

2004 Reds
Ermitage Rouge l'Ermite - 94WS
Shows a mix of dark bramble notes and a zesty wild berry profile, with dark cocoa, tar
and graphite in the background. The muscular edge on the finish is atypical for the vintage.
Best from 2008 through 2017. 360 cases made.

Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac - 95WS
Combines fruit and i terroir n in spades, with notes of raspberry ganache and fig layered
with tar, loam and i garrigue n . Builds slowly through the finish, delivering an encore
of dark fruit and minerality, with a hint of grilled beef. A huge wine that demands
cellaring. Best from 2009 through 2027. 600 cases made.

Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois - 94WS
Has a gorgeous, silky mouthfeel, with a superb core of pure sweet fruit--cassis and
raspberry ganache--that builds slowly through the dark spice and tobacco-filled finish.
Has a suave, fine-grained structure. Drink now through 2022. 450 cases made.

2004 Whites
Ermitage Blanc De L'Oree - 99RP
A wine that tastes akin to liquid rocks as well as white currants and quince is the light
golden 2004 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree. This is a fabulous wine, with blockbuster intensity
and richness. This is the kind of wine that may last 50-100 years, but of course
most readers will opt for earlier consumption.