Chave-a-thon

Restaurant Michael (Winnetka, IL)
Tasted Tuesday, October 26, 2010 by KenK with 882 views

Introduction

A nice group from Wine Beserkers group got together at Restaurant Michael to taste thru a nice sampling of JL Chave. Overall, the wines showed quite well with significant variation from vintage to vintage. While none of the wines seemed over the hill, wines from the 1980's came across to me as being fully mature. The Chave style seems to
offer Syrah in a traditional way with meaty rustic quality that ages well and shows nice dark spices. While the fruit often comes across almost silky, make no mistake, this is a hearty red wine, build for the log term. The clear favorite was the 1991, which seems in the perfect drinking window.

Flight 1 - Welcome wine with Cheesy Poofs (1 Note)

  • 1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Vintage 90 Points

    France, Champagne

    Magnum
    Dry lean earthy aromas,
    Fine effervescence. Showing some age on palate, but still drinking nice. An understated feel to wine. Foursquare with dry restrained character a Brit would likely love more than me. More of a food wine as a tad astringent 90

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Flight 2 - Fois Gras Course (1 Note)

  • 1995 Château d'Yquem 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    High pitched nose showing purity of golden ripe apricots, quite aromatic rich and floral.
    Very viscous character possessing super ripe fruits that come off as quite sweet. Good acid backbone offers intensity. In your face broad shoulder style. With impressive finish. Needs time to integrate, but a real treat to drink now. 93

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Flight 3 - Seared Sea Bass with Fennel mico herbs, polenta with hazelnut (2 Notes)

  • 1994 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    This wine was came across much younger than the 1999. It is often amazing how these wines transform with age. Clear on appearance seemingly quite young, perhaps yellow tinged color.Light perfumed nose, bit oily. Some noted gunflint mineral.
    Fat mouth feel with light delicate almond character and long finish, touch bitter.
    Smooth, bit warm in the mouth. 90

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  • 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Golden yellow in color seemingly older than the 1994.
    Very nutty aromas with butterscotch and beeswax. Seems slightly oxidized.
    Big heavy concentrated flavors of dry toasted nuts and spice with sherry edge.
    Seems older.. I rated it higher as came across with more personality even though clear some oxidation that did not bother me. 92 points

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Flight 4 - Venison with huckleberry (2 Notes)

  • 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Aromas of crushed violets, black olive, and dark earth.
    Flavors were of dark roasted coffee had some zip, but a touch hollow in middle, missing some punch, but nice sweet depth, good finish. Purple flavors A few thought a touch of TCA that I did not find. Perhaps just not a perfect bottle. 91

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  • 2001 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Nice dark leather bouquet, ripe black fruits and black pepper. Sweet floral note.
    Bright acid, chewy dark dry flavors with sleek sweet core. Nice length, good ripeness. Nice attack. Dark ripe dense fruit, a bit lean or austere but loads of quality. 93+

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Flight 5 - Quail egg with Squab (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Espresso, black earth, savage, animal, and roasted black fruit aromas.
    Dark black ripe fruit flavors. Toasty, acid driven wine and chewy. Bit austere. Dominated by charcoal blackened quality. 93

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  • 1997 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Impressive nose. Floral perfume spice sweet with rustic edge. More sophistication here a real step up. Nice acid driven intensity. Lean and linear, clean pure black very flavors. Slightly rustic, yet light on feet. Nice punch here with dry edge. 94

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Flight 6 - Assorted Cheeses (4 Notes)

  • 1985 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 88 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Green herbs scented, nice aromas featuring earth and pepper.
    Lean dry leafy flavors with an acidic streak. Chewy lean, dry flavors. A decent wine, but out shined tonight. 88

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  • 1991 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 96 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Smoky earthy animal driven with beautiful spice aroma.
    Great wine, tremendously silky and balanced, great tension here between spicy fruits and acids. Seamless with fine depth, toasty quality, and sleek black flavors, pure. This is the real deal and in the perfect drinking window. 96

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  • 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Dark earthy, nice sweet black fruit, somewhat mature with dusty aroma.
    Black fruits, sweet acids driven by lean toasty flavors, dark rustic, black fruit edge.
    91

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  • 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Sweet ripe dark black cherry fruit driven nose with gamey note.
    Chewy rustic black driven flavors. Creosote with nice density and concentration, still very young. Stuffed full, but needs time. Could turn out better then them all with time. 95+

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Closing

In general, the group found the Chave Rouge style to be rustic, yet pure, a manly wine with great texture and a long finish. The wines really show the vintage as expressions are so different. The 1991 had more red fruits, but generally these are black fruit driven wines, The 1999 may ace them all as so much potential, but still needs time.

Great people, food, and wine, Chef Michael did a greAt job with these Burgundies. ;-)

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