TN: Second Zoom tasting – Chave Hermitage

SECOND ZOOM TASTING – CHAVE HERMITAGE - Mi Casa (5/20/2020)

This was the second zoom tasting that David E. organized. The theme was Chave Hermitage which is one of my top ten favorite wines. Since it was six this time, RJ generous got me a box of 4oz bottles from Amazon. Six of us met in front of the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner and exchange the bottles in the afternoon. We had a two hour zoom session which was both educational and fun.

Hermitage Blanc
The critics love Chave Hermitage blanc yet there is a very little demand. It can be impressive upon release then it goes through a long dumb/less expressive phase only to blossom in a couple of decades. This is Leoville Las Cases of white wine, i.e. impossible to figure out when to open.

  • 2009 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Medium expressive nose displaying slightly coiled rich yellow fruit, white peach, dry pineapple, lemon oil, strong honey, salt toffee, a hint of anise, spicy spices, lanoline and wet stone. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of dense yellow fruit, rich, creamy and unctuous, medium acidity yet strong mineral expression provides a very good balance and precision, and a medium to long coiled yellow fruit driven finish with sea salt and honey at the end. There is a hint of heat. It is an incredibly concentrated and very serious wine, perhaps too serious. I have no clue when this will reach the peak. Intellectually stimulating but not much fun. (95 pts.)
  • 2010 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    A bit more expressive than the 09, rich white and yellow fruit, a hint of fresh lemon, yellow peach, light honey, lanoline, white flowers, salt, sap, spicy spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, very finely layered concentrated yellow fruit, rich and oily, exceptional balance and precision, medium acidity, strong mineral and a long concentrated white and yellow fruit driven finish with lanolin and honey at the end. This is another pretty serious wine but with a bit of playfulness. (96 pts.)

Hermitage Rouge
hey were all so expressive yet also so different which was fascinating. The 97 was remarkably Burgundian. The 05 will be a legend one day!

  • 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Intoxicating incredibly complex nose displaying mature red fruit, strawberry, a hint of dry cherry, black olive, grilled fatty steak, a hint of soy, leather, sous bois, brown sugar, anise, perfume, cinnamon and limestone. Fully integrated Burgundian palate, very finely layered mature red fruit, silky, precise and slightly lean, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a seamless long mature red fruit driven finish with perfume and tapenade at the end. This is an incredibly complex Chave hermitage that is drinking incredibly well.beautifully. Perhaps the best recent example. (98 pts.)
  • 1997 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Perfectly mature nose displaying subtle yet bright red fruit, strawberry, very clean not showing neither olive nor grilled meat, white pepper, dry orange peel, strong mint, cinnamon and mineral. Beautifully integrated palate, finely layered subtle red fruit, rich yet slightly lean and precise, bright acidity and strong mineral, and a medium long subtle red fruit driven finish with mint and cinnamon at the end. This is very Burgundian, especially towards to the end of the evening. Not the most complex wine but incredibly delicious! (94 pts.)
  • 2001 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Very youthful expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruit, black cherry, blueberry pie, brown sugar, beef stew, dark spices and iron mineral. Excellent concentration, packed opulent black fruit, rich and chewy, bright acidity, strong iron mineral and a long sweet black fruit driven finish with dark spice at the end. It hasn’t developed much tertiary notes and can easily develop for another decade or more. Really impressive……until the 05 shows up. (95 pts.)
  • 2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Incredibly youthful expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe concentrated black fruit, blackberry jam, crushed blackberry, blackberry liqueur, black cherry, liquid smoke, lavender, perfume, licorice, sweet spices, garrigue and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration and incredible balance, beautifully layered perfectly ripe sweet black fruit, incredibly rich yet silky and fluid, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a seamless concentrated black fruit driven finish with garrigue and liquid smoke at the end. Despite being so concentrated and youthful, the palate is sensual and weightless which reminds me the 01 Yquem. For my palate, the 05 is the best Chave Hermitage. Monumental wine! (99 pts.)
  • 2009 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Expressive primary nose displaying massive black and blue fruit, blackberry liqueur, blueberry pie, licorice, grille lamb chop, lavender, baking spices and mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of ripe black fruit, rich and dense, medium acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long ripe blue and black fruit driven finish. This is a massive ripe Chave that has a slight resembles to the 05. Although expressive, it can easily improve for two decades or more. (97 pts.)
  • 2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Expressive nose displaying black fruit, blackberry jam, black berry, tapenade, a hint of garrigue already, rose and mineral. Excellent concentration, packed concentrated black fruit, rich and opulent, yet silky and fresh, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long sweet black fruit driven finish with grilled meat and tapenade at the end. It shows more tertiary notes that the 05 and 09. Stylistically, it reminds me the 01 a bit, i.e. surprisingly concentrated with generous fruit. (95 pts.)

The reds reaffirmed my belief that Chave Hermitage is one of the greatest wines of the world.
Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the notes. Sounds like I may need to check in on a ‘12.
I agree that Chave Hermitage is one of the greatest wines of the world.

Surprised the 12 has bit of tertiary notes already.

I was as well. However, some Chave hermitages can show garrigue and tapenade from early on.

Interesting, thanks.
Was that the tasting order …1989 to 2012?

Nice notes, I have several bottles of then 2010 that I’ve been wanting to try, maybe it’s time to crack one open.

Very interesting regarding the 97; the bottle we opened last year was nice but not particularly distinctive. Burgundian could be a good descriptor, although it was clearly Syrah.

Great tasting. That 05 is such a legend. Perhaps the best wine I’ve had this year.

I opened a 2012 a couple weeks ago for a zoom tasting. Still young as hell with no (miniscule) secondary notes. Lots of oak and lots of ripe bold fruit. Second day oak tapered down a bit. It was a bit much for me on the ripeness level. Especially having a 2012 allemand Reynard next to it, which blew the chave to pieces.

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Thanks to a generous friend, I had the opportunity to try the '90 blanc a few months back, and it was in a great spot, with complexity, nuttiness, but still a sense of vibrancy with fruit remaining. So, in the best vintages, with good storage, 20 years or more after the vintage should see them just about right.

I’ve had the same experience with the 12 Chave and Reynard. The 12 Reynard is just a special bottle of wine, while the 12 Chave has always felt oaky and disjointed to me.

Yes, old to young which worked out this time.

A couple of the guys loved the 97 even more than me, simply a matter of preference.

Upon release, I drank a bottle over two nights and though Bob slightly missed this one @97pts.

A couple of the guys loved the 12 Chave even more than me. I really need to try more Cornas.

This is awesome Kevin, well done! I have a lone 05 that I don’t know what to do with besides burying it. Cheers! [cheers.gif]

My views on more recent Chave are far from universal - glad you liked it!

The '12 Allemand looks good here. Makes me want to try for some in CC.

Which vintages are you comparing to?

I think your opinion is aligned with more people than you think :wink:

Hopefully the current vintages can reach the heights that the 89 hits