Always one of the top sparklers in California, L’Ermitage defines the rigorous selection that marks the best vintage-dated, ageworthy wines. The 2000 is about 50-50 Chardonnay and Pinot, and is very rich and flavorful in yeast, smoke, strawberry, citrus and vanilla flavors, but it’s also a very young wine, tight and minerally. It wants bottle age. Should begin to fantail out by the end of 2007 and continue to develop for 4 to 6 years, if not longer.——S.H.(12/31/2007)—— 94