Minimal splash decant served up along side two other wines at the same time. The 17 JLC & 14 La La.
The window of approach is open for now. Nose, palate and finish all jiving. Long smooth lingering tannins. Generous weight compared to the lift of the La Landonne.
Evolved nicely over dinner and conversation. 17 made it to the table but had nothing to add to the discourse.
98
Drink for now or hold
21 Ridge Grenache Blanc 17 JL Chave Hermitage 16 JL Chave Hermitage 14 E. Guigal La Londonne 11 JL Chave Saint Joseph 10 Vieux Chateau Certan
Best young Chave I’ve had. Given the amount of sediment and lack of air needed I would have guess it was ten years older. Nonetheless it was very satisfying. It has olive brine, smoke, black pepper and game but only in the background to the generous amounts of ripe blue/black fruit. Plenty of structure and acid but as mentioned below ready right from the start.
Incredibly satisfying Hermitage from Chave. Explosive nose of rich black currants and blackberry with some spices and black pepper. Everything is just perfectly refined. On the palate wine showed outstanding silky texture with present tannins and good acidity to keep everything in check. The aftertaste went on for ages. This bottle was pretty much ready right out of the gate. Drink now and the next 20-30 years.
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Sunday Northern Rhône Survey (San Francisco): Deep ruby. Smells like blueberry pie! Medium + weight. Incredibly caressing, round feel with a beacon of blue and black fruit, tangy acidity, an herbal streak to add interest, and substantial framing tannins. Superbly balanced, absolutely delicious and approachable despite its youthfulness, layered and long. Another great Chave Hermitage.
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Comparative (Young) Northern Rhone Tasting (Birch Road Cellar - Chicago IL): Opened 3 hours, decanted 1 hour before tasting. Already a "wow" wine with brilliant black cherry on nose and palate, seemingly accessible and so balanced, but going on and on as it unfolds even further. Great now, upside from here.
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Acker Merrall Bicentennial Gala (Cipriani Wall Street - New York NY): Small glass, brief note. From magnum. Tough to appreciate in context of all tonight’s older wines, but this is fleshy and powerful with the structure one step behind all the fantastic black fruit, roasted meat and both sweet and savory spice. Shockingly enjoyable already.
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By the glass. Dark as hell's gates. Leaning on the nose, elegant and leisurely austerity. In the mouth the aristocratic elements seek to join together in about twenty years. Meanwhile they offer a silk texture and robust tannins. Imperishable style.
Por copas. Oscuro como la entrada del infierno. Apocado en nariz, una austeridad elegante y pausada. En boca los elementos aristocráticos buscan conjuntarse dentro de unos veinte años. Mientras tanto ofrecen una textura de seda y unos robustos taninos. Estilo imperecedero.
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One or two shades lighter than the St. Joseph. For this cuvée, quite powerful, but everything is still wonderfully elegant with superb acidity and sneaky tannins to buffer the beautiful mixed red and black fruit. Fine vein of soil. It was illuminating to taste this and the St. Joseph together, really highlighting the complexity and refinement of this wine. Outstanding wine which promises several decades of drinking pleasure. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes through a sullen period before re-emerging.
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For whatever reason it seems natural to compare this to the 2015, but it's not that wine at all. It's not nearly as flashy or overt, and it doesn't come across as oaky. This tends more towards an elegant, medium-bodied syrah, with more classic Chave styling. There's dark fruit and florals, but it's also more structural and firm. There's a good kick of mineral and acids to frame everything. Undoubtedly impressive, and enjoyable even at this stage.
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#17495. Yay, just like last year, I'm the first one to post a note on this. I have no idea what value that fact is, apart from a reference to those old forum commenting systems. Anyway. This is different than the 2015. The nose is initially smoky, with a fair bit of oak and a big whiff of spice, but then it opens into these beautiful red fruits. This is an Hermitage of a decidedly more delicate and lithesome style. The immense fruity flesh of the 2015 isn't here at all: the structure here is more exposed, there is more sinew and definition in this wine. Plenty of acidity here, with the fresh and youthful red fruit playing a big part on the palate as a counterweight to the spicy, oaky qualities. It's obviously young and unresolved with plenty of tannin, but there should be ample material for aging. Against the lower oak Rhones worth a damn (TM), this will probably not show that same elegance, and the higher oak treatment will stick out (or am I just hedging based on the performance of the 2015 last year?). I digress -- there is a lot to love about this wine, and at age 3, any assessment is justifiably ludicrous and needs to be taken with a huge slab of Himalayan pink salt. But the die is cast with my relatively large stash, and I am certain my faith will be rewarded.
2/16/2024 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 98 Points
WOTN in a solid lineup.
Btl No. 20241
Minimal splash decant served up along side two other wines at the same time. The 17 JLC & 14 La La.
The window of approach is open for now. Nose, palate and finish all jiving. Long smooth lingering tannins. Generous weight compared to the lift of the La Landonne.
Evolved nicely over dinner and conversation. 17 made it to the table but had nothing to add to the discourse.
98
Drink for now or hold
21 Ridge Grenache Blanc
17 JL Chave Hermitage
16 JL Chave Hermitage
14 E. Guigal La Londonne
11 JL Chave Saint Joseph
10 Vieux Chateau Certan
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
2/7/2024 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 Points
Best young Chave I’ve had. Given the amount of sediment and lack of air needed I would have guess it was ten years older. Nonetheless it was very satisfying. It has olive brine, smoke, black pepper and game but only in the background to the generous amounts of ripe blue/black fruit. Plenty of structure and acid but as mentioned below ready right from the start.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
1/19/2024 - Philolesen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Incredibly satisfying Hermitage from Chave. Explosive nose of rich black currants and blackberry with some spices and black pepper. Everything is just perfectly refined. On the palate wine showed outstanding silky texture with present tannins and good acidity to keep everything in check. The aftertaste went on for ages. This bottle was pretty much ready right out of the gate.
Drink now and the next 20-30 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2023 - drwine2001 wrote:
Sunday Northern Rhône Survey (San Francisco): Deep ruby. Smells like blueberry pie! Medium + weight. Incredibly caressing, round feel with a beacon of blue and black fruit, tangy acidity, an herbal streak to add interest, and substantial framing tannins. Superbly balanced, absolutely delicious and approachable despite its youthfulness, layered and long. Another great Chave Hermitage.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Comparative (Young) Northern Rhone Tasting (Birch Road Cellar - Chicago IL): Opened 3 hours, decanted 1 hour before tasting. Already a "wow" wine with brilliant black cherry on nose and palate, seemingly accessible and so balanced, but going on and on as it unfolds even further. Great now, upside from here.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2021 - hprphf wrote: 94 Points
Ex-domaine, 09886. Very ripe, high alcohol, purple fruit, thick texture. Lots of energy and precision, if a bit too hot right now. 94+
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2/8/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Acker Merrall Bicentennial Gala (Cipriani Wall Street - New York NY): Small glass, brief note. From magnum. Tough to appreciate in context of all tonight’s older wines, but this is fleshy and powerful with the structure one step behind all the fantastic black fruit, roasted meat and both sweet and savory spice. Shockingly enjoyable already.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2019 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
By the glass. Dark as hell's gates. Leaning on the nose, elegant and leisurely austerity. In the mouth the aristocratic elements seek to join together in about twenty years. Meanwhile they offer a silk texture and robust tannins. Imperishable style.
Por copas. Oscuro como la entrada del infierno. Apocado en nariz, una austeridad elegante y pausada. En boca los elementos aristocráticos buscan conjuntarse dentro de unos veinte años. Mientras tanto ofrecen una textura de seda y unos robustos taninos. Estilo imperecedero.
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8/21/2019 - aChave wrote: 94 Points
JL Chave tasting at M&S (McCarthy & Schiering): More bite. Raspberry and earth on entry, then beautiful finish. Dense yet has a lightness . Dances on the palate.
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5/24/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
One or two shades lighter than the St. Joseph. For this cuvée, quite powerful, but everything is still wonderfully elegant with superb acidity and sneaky tannins to buffer the beautiful mixed red and black fruit. Fine vein of soil. It was illuminating to taste this and the St. Joseph together, really highlighting the complexity and refinement of this wine. Outstanding wine which promises several decades of drinking pleasure. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes through a sullen period before re-emerging.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2019 - psmith wrote: 95 Points
For whatever reason it seems natural to compare this to the 2015, but it's not that wine at all. It's not nearly as flashy or overt, and it doesn't come across as oaky. This tends more towards an elegant, medium-bodied syrah, with more classic Chave styling. There's dark fruit and florals, but it's also more structural and firm. There's a good kick of mineral and acids to frame everything. Undoubtedly impressive, and enjoyable even at this stage.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2019 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
#17495. Yay, just like last year, I'm the first one to post a note on this. I have no idea what value that fact is, apart from a reference to those old forum commenting systems. Anyway. This is different than the 2015. The nose is initially smoky, with a fair bit of oak and a big whiff of spice, but then it opens into these beautiful red fruits. This is an Hermitage of a decidedly more delicate and lithesome style. The immense fruity flesh of the 2015 isn't here at all: the structure here is more exposed, there is more sinew and definition in this wine. Plenty of acidity here, with the fresh and youthful red fruit playing a big part on the palate as a counterweight to the spicy, oaky qualities. It's obviously young and unresolved with plenty of tannin, but there should be ample material for aging. Against the lower oak Rhones worth a damn (TM), this will probably not show that same elegance, and the higher oak treatment will stick out (or am I just hedging based on the performance of the 2015 last year?). I digress -- there is a lot to love about this wine, and at age 3, any assessment is justifiably ludicrous and needs to be taken with a huge slab of Himalayan pink salt. But the die is cast with my relatively large stash, and I am certain my faith will be rewarded.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5)