2009 Red Wine from Northern Rhone

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: A perfect wine, the 2009 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,093 cases) boasts a black/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of acacia flowers, blackberries, blueberries, roasted meats, creme de cassis, truffles, graphite...

Wine Spectator, 98 points: This has a taut feel still with an almost searing iron edge but there's plenty of flesh in reserve with plum compote cherry pate de fruit and anise notes that slowly fill in on the lengthy finish. Offers lots of grip too...