Jay Kline

9.6

At this point, with this group, a Legends dinner simply wouldn’t be appropriate without at least one bottle of Chave Hermitage.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1994 Hermitage pours a slightly hazy garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with perfumed notes of dried brambles, dried blueberry, dried purple flowers, black olive, mushroom, espresso, leather, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly sanguine. Delicious with the 5 Spice Cured Duck prepared with marinated Bing cherries, crispy shallot and Olathe corn polenta. It was such a pleasure to taste the ‘94 Chave next to the ‘85 Gentaz. Two Northern Rhône Legends working with their respective terroirs. Where the Gentaz was all about the aromatics of Côte Rôtie, the Chave was brought more of the power from the Hill of Hermitage. Drink now through 2056. — 6 days ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Lal o obelix — a month ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.7

Stunning. A total textural bomb, still very young but surprisingly accessible and open, which is the nature of 2020. Complex dark berry fruit, the sweetest, most velvety tannins, and that granitic edge only elite Hermitage gets. Powerful, deep and gorgeous. — 2 months ago

Rufus King

9.1

Rich French red blend, served on Viking Danube cruise — 4 months ago

Tegan Marriott

9.4

Viva la Rhone, et Magnifique! — 4 months ago

Jean-Phillippe Landry

9.1

Fantastic! — 9 months ago

Doug Powers

9.8

Dark purple color, looks and smells like a 10-year-old wine, smoke, black fruits, and some tarry notes I’ve never encountered in Hermitage (?), big, rich, very structured and tannic, super long finish, will it ever mature during my remaining lifetime, staggeringly GREAT Hermitage!! — 10 days ago

with Jim

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.3

Really good. Super Syrah. Balanced with good acidity and fruit. — a month ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.3

Papas gaucho — 2 months ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.4

Cena lider mty @ gand cru — 2 months ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

8.9

Pretty decent for an 02 — 4 months ago

Harvey Raben

9.6

Still strong with bramble fruit herbal characteristics that flow into a long finish. For a 43 year old this is spectacular example of Syrah in the northern Rhône. Complexity without off flavors from aging. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Opened prior to dinner. The 2009 “Le Méal” Blanc pours a light gold color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine was initially a bit reductive but that eventually gave way to ripe peaches, passion fruit, a mix of white and yellow flowers, beeswax, almonds, minerals and there was also a wild note of Bandaid with Neosporin (you can’t make this up). On the palate, the wine is dry with medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. The alcohol is high but balanced. Drink now with patience through 2039. — 5 months ago

William Lauder

9.4

Still drinking well. Great expression of a Rhone — 3 days ago

Jan A

9.0

A slight hint of corck or other flaw. May improve with air like the other bottle out of the same cellar we tasted two years ago. Edit: didn't improve much after two hours in the decanter. — a month ago

Stephen Mathews

9.8

Happy birthday to my favorite mother in law! — a month ago

Amy

9.0

from spirited gourmet- very savory- got pepper and sausage — 2 months ago

Maggie Harrison

9.7

2022, figgy, plum with undertones of bacon at first open. very elegant and soft on palate. beautiful. about 4 hrs later- decanted. change? more mineral, tannins are showing more now than at opening. dried fig, meaty. bolder fruit on back end of palate thru the finish. iron on finish. drinking great but more time would certainly be better. — 3 months ago

John Pavlovich

9.3

Deep ruby/purple/burgundy in colour, dense and well built wine, ready to drink. Solid and well balanced. It took a while to open up, better on the 2nd day. — 4 months ago

ESF

9.2

had a similar experience as @Peter Sultan as far as finding this was a quixotic blend of Old World and New World - nose & palate was not at all reticent for us: there was such a purity of flavors & aromas from deep rich black fruit, cassis, minerals, meat, pepper... so legit - not a hair out of place, — 5 months ago