Chave Night (with some extras)

I wanted to squeeze in one last tasting for the decade, and my guests enthusiastically enable my Chave instincts. I threw in a non-Chave Syrah icon, mistakenly thinking that its similar assemblage from multiple parcels would resonate with the Chaves. That's called over-thinking!

• 2006 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Served at cellar temp, then followed as it warmed to room temp. A super-impressive, fresh and youthful expression of Chave Blanc, still a bit tight strung but the typicity and nuances are all there. Beeswax and a touch of honey on the nose. A chewy, textured wine, with notes of anise and orchard fruit, with a feint touch of smokiness. This one will be fun to follow over the next few decades, if I can be disciplined that is.

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• 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Served at cellar temp, then followed as it warmed to room temp. Much more advanced than the 1989 and 2006 we consumed alongside this, not sure why though I have a few others and will revisit. The oxidative aspects were most evident on the nose, which was too off-putting for some folks to get past, but I still found the wine rewarding in its own way, with plenty of muted citrus, white flowers and anise, and a richness that evolved with time.

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• 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Served at cellar temp, then followed as it warmed to room temp. A stellar Chave Blanc, fresh and energetic, with loads of pure fruit, minerality and spice in wonderful harmony. Just a touch of tropical botrytis. So clean and vibrant!

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• 2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Super primary (no surprise), with loads of iodine and bloody meat evidenced upfront, rustic and powerful. Took on complexity over time and the dark and red fruit emerged more, gaining richness and showing a floral aspect I found appealing alongside evident oak.

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• 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  A maturing wine which showed beautifully, with complex layers of dark fruit and slate along with marked acidity. A silky texture, with evident tannins. Edged out by its 1995 brother, but only just.

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• 1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  My second encounter in 6 weeks with this beauty, though this one fell a bit short of the previous bottle. Showing all the Chave typicity, with the freshness and power elegantly complemented by its glycerined texture. Loads of sweet red berries, floral fragrance and spice, plus a little heat. Slightly less concentration than what I recalled from before.

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• 1996 Penfolds Grange 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  Served blind to my guests as an ill-conceived attempt to complement the 3 Chave reds on which we were focused, but this was too much of a thing apart in that context. Nonetheless a delicious expression of the grape, one which the gents impressively tagged as an Aussie Shiraz from the mid- to late-nineties, so full credit to them. Notes of eucalyptus, dark fruit, graphite and mocha. No jamminess here. The wine was so polished and lush, delicious in its own right though surely lacking the complexity and elegance the Chaves evidenced.

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• 1989 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 84 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Craving acidity after 3 inspiring Chave whites, we were drawn to this mature Burg, but it disappointed in a way I can't quite put my finger on. It was not flawed, nor notably advanced, with fresh stone fruit and sweet perfume. No secondary characteristics. Unfortunately, the acidity was overpowering in this context, a characteristic which did not change as the wine warmed and was exposed to air. A bit puzzling to me...

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This was a splendid affair. I think most of us admired the Chave Blancs perhaps a tad more than we enjoy them as such. Their fabulous pedigree, texture and distinctiveness make them much more than a mere curiosity, but I rarely crave a second glass at a sitting. Am I flat out wrong here?!

The Chave reds were exactly as expected, and remain benchmark Syrahs from every perspective.

Now on to the 2020s!