Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center and red/puce rims. The medium+ intensity nose offered up candied cherries, rhubarb, Provencal herbs, soil, and a hint of menthol.
In the mouth it was rich and ripe great balance, firm acidity, and huge length.
This still tasted quite young to me and I can't say for sure I know that it will evolve in a positive direction. It was a bit monolithic and somewhat high octane. However, it also seemed likely to improve by a point or two with another 10 years or so in the cellar and that would make it impressive indeed.
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Extremely good, but not worth the current tariff. I would have happily traded a bottle of this for a dozen of the regular 1995 bottling. Still, the balance between rich, meaty bacon flavors and light, pretty floral flavors is amazing. Chave is truly the King of Hermitage, and this has another 30+ years of life left.
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3000 bottles made. The usual chave sensation with herbs, wild berries, perfume, bacon and meat. The palate was ultra ethereal and weightless with subtle and humble power. Along with the impeccable length and finish of this wine, the wine had no signs of that richness and meatiness from the Chave Hermitage. These characters were distinguished ithr Cuvee Catheleen from a regular chave. Everything was in the right place. Liquid silk, light on its feet, a different animal. 96-97
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Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Tasting (Wine Watch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Definitely had a unique quality compared to the other Chave Hermitages. It had a darker fruit profile, with more dark plum and blackberry, along with truffle, eucalyptus, bacon fat, pepper, game, and espresso. Deep, rich, and concentrated on the palate. Very round and balanced. Perhaps more accessible right now than the 1995 Chave Hermitage, which I have found to be a bit shy and less generous. A nice long finish. Medium level of acidity. Very special to taste this rare wine from Chave.
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Full but soft nose and a relatively compact palate. Compares favorably to the regular cuvee in this vintage, but is not a blockbuster. Still early in its evolution, this deserves another evaluation in 5 years as I see upside here. 94-95+
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Dinner at Steve & Barb's house. Greg's generous offering for the evening. A very unique and perfumed nose that I've only encountered once before - in the bottle of the '98 sitting next to it! The lineage of the wines could be seen in the similarities and the differing vintage characteristics could be seen in the fact that the '98 had deeper and richer fruit. It's always difficult to put wines like this into words and better to just enjoy the moment. Both were quite young but absolutely delicious. 50+14+14+9+9=96+
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Dinner with Friends (Storefront Company - Chicago IL): Open approx 6 hours before pouring, this was double decanted before coming to the restaurant, then decanted again at the restaurant. Dense black fruit coming across as incredibly fresh, vibrant and forward. Very primary. Moderate spice to start, with more pepper, licorice and allspice coming through from middle to finish. Powerful, long finish. This should still be getting better for another decade+.
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Quoique du même style que le 1991, il m’a semblé un peu plus sérieux et structuré. Vin d’une incroyable finesse, presque exotique par son bouquet. La bouche est divine, avec des arômes très rhodaniens de viande et d’épices. Les très fins tanins et l’acidité convergent vers une finale presque croquante et très longue. Très grand vin.
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Phil's B-Day; 7/23/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicago): very floral like nose of sweet dark fruits with really heavy bakers spice and some tar. amazing balance and stunning complexity and layer after layer of new textures and taste on each sip
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Phil's MONUMENTAL 33rd Birthday Wine Tasting (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Again, an enormous thank you to Phil and Jen for allowing me to sample this remarkable wine. The color was a gorgeous deep ruby. Opaque at the center. Aromas of rich spicy dark cherries, smoked bacon, jerky, bark, cigar, tar and loads of charred meat. Enormous and incredibly masculine this wine stops at nothing to take away your breath with depth and concentration. Absolutely one of the best wines I've experienced to date. What a treat.
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A Weekend of Excess; 7/24/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicago/Northbrook, IL): Incredible aromatics. Spicy black fruits with roasted meat. Spicy and full bodied on the palate with slightly tart fruit. Tannic with lots of grip and a long finish. A stunning wine. The best bottle yet from the same 6pk.
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Birthday Weekend; 7/23/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicagoland): Big time nose. Just super aromatics of well spiced meat and dark fruits. Exotic. Well balanced palate. Full, but elegant lines and very light on its feet. No seams. Great wine; better than my very, very good last bottle of this.
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A Super-Rhone Dinner (Naha in Chicago, IL): Really exotic, aromatic, Asian Spice profile with perfumed violet notes and subdued dark meaty fruits. Restrained and rather elegant, even Burgundian, on the palate, and not really showing much, but a nice, syrupy texture and long, trailing acidity. This seems shut down pretty hard now but in no danger of decline. If the wonderful nose is the key this should prove to be an extraordinary wine at some point.
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11/2/2022 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center and red/puce rims. The medium+ intensity nose offered up candied cherries, rhubarb, Provencal herbs, soil, and a hint of menthol.
In the mouth it was rich and ripe great balance, firm acidity, and huge length.
This still tasted quite young to me and I can't say for sure I know that it will evolve in a positive direction. It was a bit monolithic and somewhat high octane. However, it also seemed likely to improve by a point or two with another 10 years or so in the cellar and that would make it impressive indeed.
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1/5/2022 - BradE wrote:
Drunk along side four vintages of the regular cuvee, including the 95, I found this over the top, and close to unappealing.
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9/26/2020 - MrOctoberfest Likes this wine:
Extremely good, but not worth the current tariff. I would have happily traded a bottle of this for a dozen of the regular 1995 bottling. Still, the balance between rich, meaty bacon flavors and light, pretty floral flavors is amazing. Chave is truly the King of Hermitage, and this has another 30+ years of life left.
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9/28/2019 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 96 Points
3000 bottles made. The usual chave sensation with herbs, wild berries, perfume, bacon and meat. The palate was ultra ethereal and weightless with subtle and humble power. Along with the impeccable length and finish of this wine, the wine had no signs of that richness and meatiness from the Chave Hermitage. These characters were distinguished ithr Cuvee Catheleen from a regular chave. Everything was in the right place. Liquid silk, light on its feet, a different animal. 96-97
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1/25/2019 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 95 Points
Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Tasting (Wine Watch, Fort Lauderdale, Florida): Definitely had a unique quality compared to the other Chave Hermitages. It had a darker fruit profile, with more dark plum and blackberry, along with truffle, eucalyptus, bacon fat, pepper, game, and espresso. Deep, rich, and concentrated on the palate. Very round and balanced. Perhaps more accessible right now than the 1995 Chave Hermitage, which I have found to be a bit shy and less generous. A nice long finish. Medium level of acidity. Very special to taste this rare wine from Chave.
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7/13/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full but soft nose and a relatively compact palate. Compares favorably to the regular cuvee in this vintage, but is not a blockbuster. Still early in its evolution, this deserves another evaluation in 5 years as I see upside here. 94-95+
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3/14/2014 - JeffGMorris Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dinner at Steve & Barb's house. Greg's generous offering for the evening. A very unique and perfumed nose that I've only encountered once before - in the bottle of the '98 sitting next to it! The lineage of the wines could be seen in the similarities and the differing vintage characteristics could be seen in the fact that the '98 had deeper and richer fruit. It's always difficult to put wines like this into words and better to just enjoy the moment. Both were quite young but absolutely delicious. 50+14+14+9+9=96+
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10/4/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Dinner with Friends (Storefront Company - Chicago IL): Open approx 6 hours before pouring, this was double decanted before coming to the restaurant, then decanted again at the restaurant. Dense black fruit coming across as incredibly fresh, vibrant and forward. Very primary. Moderate spice to start, with more pepper, licorice and allspice coming through from middle to finish. Powerful, long finish. This should still be getting better for another decade+.
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10/9/2009 - ludwigbpm wrote: 98 Points
Quoique du même style que le 1991, il m’a semblé un peu plus sérieux et structuré. Vin d’une incroyable finesse, presque exotique par son bouquet. La bouche est divine, avec des arômes très rhodaniens de viande et d’épices. Les très fins tanins et l’acidité convergent vers une finale presque croquante et très longue. Très grand vin.
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7/25/2009 - zimmy07 wrote:
Phil's B-Day; 7/23/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicago): very floral like nose of sweet dark fruits with really heavy bakers spice and some tar. amazing balance and stunning complexity and layer after layer of new textures and taste on each sip
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7/25/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 98 Points
Phil's MONUMENTAL 33rd Birthday Wine Tasting (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Again, an enormous thank you to Phil and Jen for allowing me to sample this remarkable wine.
The color was a gorgeous deep ruby. Opaque at the center.
Aromas of rich spicy dark cherries, smoked bacon, jerky, bark, cigar, tar and loads of charred meat.
Enormous and incredibly masculine this wine stops at nothing to take away your breath with depth and concentration.
Absolutely one of the best wines I've experienced to date. What a treat.
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7/25/2009 - MatthewF wrote:
A Weekend of Excess; 7/24/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicago/Northbrook, IL): Incredible aromatics. Spicy black fruits with roasted meat. Spicy and full bodied on the palate with slightly tart fruit. Tannic with lots of grip and a long finish. A stunning wine. The best bottle yet from the same 6pk.
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7/25/2009 - psmith wrote:
Birthday Weekend; 7/23/2009-7/25/2009 (Chicagoland): Big time nose. Just super aromatics of well spiced meat and dark fruits. Exotic. Well balanced palate. Full, but elegant lines and very light on its feet. No seams. Great wine; better than my very, very good last bottle of this.
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5/6/2006 - psmith wrote: 95 Points
A Super-Rhone Dinner (Naha in Chicago, IL): Really exotic, aromatic, Asian Spice profile with perfumed violet notes and subdued dark meaty fruits. Restrained and rather elegant, even Burgundian, on the palate, and not really showing much, but a nice, syrupy texture and long, trailing acidity. This seems shut down pretty hard now but in no danger of decline. If the wonderful nose is the key this should prove to be an extraordinary wine at some point.
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