Community Tasting Notes 16

• NoahCap wrote:

  August 16, 2023 - The short version: Very good. For me, falls short of great.
  
  The long version: Bottle in excellent shape. Cork is solid, barely stained at all, wine pours a clear purple/garnet with a watery rim. Looks very young, leaning more red and less purple than many Syrahs. Almost looks like a Burgundy.
  
  But it doesn't smell like Burgundy. Nose is quite closed initially; low in intensity, all black olives with very little fruit. But the wine blossoms with air and opens out with a bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, and kirsch. Plenty of black olives, worn leather, dried lavender as well.
  
  Medium bodied in the mouth, medium acid, tannins are present though receding and quite fine. Red fruited and leathery in flavor. This tastes like kirsch macerated with Luden's cough drops along with a good dollop of leather. The finish is medium in length and there is a sweet-ish finish that is very pleasant.
  
  Interestingly, the fruits gain prominence as this wine takes on air. I'd recommend either decanting for an hour or two, or drinking this very slowly over the course of an evening. Despite other tasting notes here, I think this wine could benefit for at least a few more years in the bottle, judging from how it took to air. At least my bottle...
  
  For me, this wine is good not great. The fruits and olive/leather/earth flavors are nicely in balance, and create an enjoyable complexity, but I can't help but think that there is some depth or concentration lacking. I'm surprised it's Hermitage, actually (let alone Chave, albeit not the big all-caps CHAVE HERMITAGE). It's enjoyable, with a decent complexity, and clearly well-made, but I'm left wanting for something that is hard to define. Seriousness? Brooding? Concentration? A sense of importance? I can't quite put my finger on it, but whatever it is, it's missing, and I want that from Hermitage. B/B+.

  Comment

• wsammons Likes this wine: 92 points

  December 25, 2022 - Still quite good but likely on a downward trend

  Comment

• aChave wrote: 91 points

  April 17, 2022 - Open and inviting. Bright but suave red Syrah fruit flavors. Good length. Benefitted from 60 minute decant.

  Comment

• VinhoVerde Likes this wine: 91 points

  February 11, 2022 - Dark red color. Plums ,herbs, and spicy bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, good fruit flavor, In a complex, ready-to-drink format. Doesn’t have the intensity or depth of Chave’s domaine Hermitage, but nevertheless an excellent wine
  Decanted for 3 hours before serving.

  Comment

• aChave wrote: 92 points

  December 25, 2021 - No argument with my last note last year…
  “ Initially bright with heady red fruit, turning darker over 2+ hours. Chewy, dense. Nicely balanced. Deeply fragrant. Still young. Opened 2 hours ahead.”

  Comment

Pro Reviews 1

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2011
• Type Red
• Producer J.L. Chave Sélection
• Varietal Syrah
• Designation Farconnet
• Vineyard n/a
• Country France
• Region Rhône
• SubRegion Northern Rhône
• Appellation Hermitage
• UPC Codes 098803021605, 3760046004116, 3760046004130, 3760046004178

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 12 (2%)
• In Cellars 320 (57%)
• Consumed 227 (41%)

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