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.

The 1996 Hermitage Le Pavillon needs at least a decade of cellaring. The wine possesses a saturated black/purple color, in addition to fabulously sweet aromas of blackberries, framboise, blueberries, violets, roasted herbs, and meats. Massively concentrated and full-bodied, with staggering levels of extract, this wine is super pure, with high tannin, good but not intrusive acidity, and a 45-second finish. This is one of the superstars of the vintage in France! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

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??Region: France / Northern Rh?ne / Ermitage Select to Add