A wine that just screams “Granite!” is the sensational 1996 Ermitage le Pavillon, which comes all from the les Bessards lieu-dit on the western side of Hermitage hill. As fine, seamless and layered as they come, this beauty offers classic notes of powdered rocks, cassis, graphite, burning embers and flowers. Full-bodied, concentrated and massive on the palate, you can almost feel the rocky soils this wine comes from on the palate, and it still, even at age 20, has loads of mouth-coasting, sweet tannin emerging on the finish. It’s a tiny step back from the mammoth 1995, yet is still an incredible wine that has another two decades of prime drinking, and will keep even longer. - Jeb Dunnuck

What a silky wine. Lush and ripe with elegance it coats the palate with the finest most velvety tannins providing loads of pleasure with its mocha plum wild berry grilled meat flavors. Full-bodied with excellent intensity on the smooth lingering finish. Delicious. Drink now through 2008. –PM