M. Chapoutier Ermitage de L'Oree Blanc 2003

WA99: Nearly perfect, one of the most prodigious dry white wines I have ever tasted is the 2003 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. A 669-case cuvee fashioned from yields of 10 hectoliters per hectare, it offers aromas and flavors beyond anything I have previously tasted in a dry white. It tastes like a liqueur of licorice intermixed with a liqueur of honeysuckle, quince, and rocks. Opulent, viscous, and full-bodied, at first glance it is seemingly fragile and over the top, but it boasts extraordinary freshness and liveliness as well as monster concentration and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. I suspect it will drink beautifully for 3-4 years, then go into a funky stage, and re-emerge two decades later. It may be a 100-year wine … but who knows? Without question, it is a tour de force in winemaking. (RP)  

WS95: Offers a perfume of persimmon and clove-studded blood orange, with a juicy palate that sports dried fruit, date, green almond and smoke flavors. Long, racy finish is filled with salted butter and floral notes. Drink now through 2020.