M. Chapoutier’s Ermitage “Le Pavillon” 2006 is a single-vineyard Hermitage red made from 100% Syrah, sourced from Chapoutier’s famed parcel on the hill of Hermitage. The house, founded in 1808, is one of the Rhône Valley’s long-established names, and under Michel Chapoutier has been closely associated with biodynamic farming and parcellary (site-specific) bottlings. In this cuvée, Chapoutier aims for a structured, terroir-forward Syrah shaped by granitic soils and very old vines. The wine is listed at 14.5% alcohol and is produced in very limited quantities; Wine Spectator reports “1,177 cases made.”
This is a heavily reviewed, top-tier vintage for the label. The strongest note comes from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: Jeb Dunnuck calls it a “tour de force,” describing “sensational notes of crushed rocks, blackberries, currants, smoked meats and licorice,” and praising a palate that is “full-bodied, seamless and incredibly layered.” That 98-point review is an excellent score, and Dunnuck adds that it “needs 4–5 years of cellaring to hit full maturity, and will keep for another 2–3 decades.”
Wine Spectator’s excellent 96-point assessment frames the 2006 as coiled and built to evolve: “Tightly wound,” with “loganberry, blueberry and blackberry fruit all laced with espresso, loam and black tea hints,” finishing with a “dense, graphite-filled” close that “has a lot of unwinding to do.” Their window: “Best from 2011 through 2025.”
Other critics underscore the same mineral-and-iron signature. Wine Enthusiast (94 points) notes it is “drawn from Les Bessards,” highlighting “pronounced structure and minerailty,” with “plum and crushed stone” plus an iron-like savor, and recommends drinking “2015–2030.” Vinous (Josh Raynolds, 93) emphasizes aromatics—“raspberry, mulberry, potpourri and burning incense”—and concludes, “I’d give it some time… but it’s gorgeous right now.”
