2000 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon

I made a venison stew as I'm trying to use up last years buck so I seared o ff the aromatics and venison steak meat in bacon fat, added a bottle of Tal us Syrah and a good slug of cognac, added pearl onions. carrots and tiny po tatoes from the garden with a dash of stock and let it braise for three hou rs. Yum. Opened a bottle of 2000 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon....wow. The wine was almost black, somewhat concentrated with aromas of cassis and wet stones, blackberry liquer and a fair amount of beef blood. The palate was quite a mix of fresh crushed berries, espresso, black pepper, game and minerals. We finished with a well ripened Epoisses and was sorry when the wine was gone. "A"