Albert Belle is widely recognized as one of the up and coming stars of both Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage. For readers not familiar with his wines, this is a dazzling example from what is probably the finest Hermitage vintage since 1961. I was surprised to learn that Belle's 1990 Hermitage was aged primarily in new oak casks. The wine is so dense and rich that it was only after I learned of the oak aging that I could detect any smoky, vanillin scents. Even then they are vague. The opaque color is followed by a closed, albeit promising nose offering aromas of minerals, black fruits, herbs, and truffles. In the mouth, there is great extraction of fruit, a long, full-bodied, concentrated taste, plenty of power, high tannins, and enough acidity for focus. Do not touch a bottle before 1998. It should provide thrilling drinking between the late nineties and the first decade of the next century. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC.