Chave Hermitage Dinner with Erin & Jean-Louis Chave

MK Restaurant - Chicago IL
Tasted Sunday, August 10, 2014 by Burgundy Al with 809 views

Introduction

Erin and Jean-Louis had a one-day layover in Chicago en route to family events and summer vacation. Their stopover was our gain, as our friend George convinced them to join us for dinner. We dug deep in our respective cellars for many vintages of Chave. We only went back to 1985 this evening, so just opening wine from two of the 16 generations of Chaves that have run the domaine since 1481.

Flight 1 - Champagne to Start (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Chave Hermitage Blanc Vertical (4 Notes)

  • 2011 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Incredibly fresh and powerful with lots of peach and tropical hints that come across very lush to start, but then with good minerality and verve from middle to finish. Lots of baby fat, but this is young Hermitage at its finest.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2001 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    I only tried one of the two bottles tonight, and thought this less interesting vs other times I've had this wine. Good power and fruit quality, but slightly awkward and top-heavy.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    By far the highlight of the Chave Hermitage Blanc flight, this showed candied lemon peel and mandarin with tropical hints, but retained overall great balance along with great density and intensity. Great now, I expect this will evolve but continue to be a great wine for easily another 10 years, probably 20 years.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 1994 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Nicely mature with ripe fruit some butterscotch and tropical notes. Moderate depth. Good now.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Chave St. Joseph (3 Notes)

  • 2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph 87 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

    Flight of 2003, 2005, 2007 Chave St. Joseph. Ripe with good concentration of black fruit. Less nuance vs others in flight, slightly more upfront and shorter.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

    Flight of 2003, 2005, 2007 Chave St Joseph. Biggest and most dense of the flight, and certainly the one wine that will need more time to reach its full potential. Long and powerful with black cherry, some liqueur hints, black pepper.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2007 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

    Flight of 2003, 2005, 2007 Chave St Joseph. For me, this was the most enjoyable of the flight, even if not quite the same cellarworthy potential as the 2005. Black berries throughout, nicely floral with background spice. Very good now.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 4 - Young Chave Hermitage Rouge (3 Notes)

  • 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    I don't think I've had this since shortly after release, but it is evolving slowly but continuing to show its great potential. Huge fruit, huge spice, very long, just slightly background right now. There was enough for one glass left at the end of the night, which came home with me. It was even better the next evening.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2002 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Overall very nice and balanced. Best now.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2001 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    In a flight with the 2004 and 2002 vintages, this had similarities to the 2001 in terms of its fruit quality, density and slight backwardness. Perhaps just a little less of everything. Also needs more time.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 5 - (Less) Young Chave Hermitage Rouge (3 Notes)

  • 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    In 97/98/99 flight. Blackberry with pepper, clove and fat. Great density. Good now but still rather firm, so just at the earliest part of its drinking window.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    From magnum, in 97/98/99 flight. This is a wine I've often enjoyed before and tonight's magnum didn't disappoint. Blackberry with faint liqueur hints, lots of black pepper. Great structural balance and textures. Jean-Louis talked about vintages such as 1998 that are less ripe that really let Hermitage showcase its granite character (vs limestone that comes through in riper vintages). I guess I really like granite. This might now have quite the long-term cellarworthiness of 1999 or 2004, but is a gem for now and the next decade+. My WOTN, while the majority preferred the 1989.

    Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 1997 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    In a flight alongside the 1998 and 1999 vintages, this was the easiest and most fun wine of the flight, even though clearly not the best. Lush and forward fruit starting to show signs of maturity. Good baking spice. Very good now, probably best in the next 5-10 years.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 6 - Chave Hermitage Rouge at its Peak (3 Notes)

  • 1992 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    In 92/89/85 flight. More earth vs fruit with moderate intensity and complexity. Time to drink up.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    From magnum. At its peak now, this was the best wine tonight, even if not the best wine for long-term potential. Ripe black berry aromas with plenty of spice and liqueur hints, followed by black berry and cherry flavors. Perhaps less complexity than some other vintages, but compensated by its great yum factor. WOTN for many, but I slightly preferred the 1998.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1985 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Two bottles from my cellar, both fairly similar, one perhaps a bit longer and fresher. Very charming earthiness with good spice. Moderate intensity and depth. Consistent with previous bottles.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

×
×