Domaine Jean-Louis Chave
L'Hermitage Syrah
Hermitage, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France
Wow, this was a big boy syrah. Broad shouldered with dark inky fruit, meats, black pepper, bay leaf and crushed rock. A bit rustic, but that just ads so much here. Still a baby.
Wow, this was a big boy syrah. Broad shouldered with dark inky fruit, meats, black pepper, bay leaf and crushed rock. A bit rustic, but that just ads so much here. Still a baby.
Oct 21st, 2022Celebration wine! Good, full body but light on palette.
Celebration wine! Good, full body but light on palette.
Oct 26th, 2020
Robe rubis foncée
Nez poivré délicat fruit rouge grande fraîcheur
Bouche fraîche précise au tanins ultra veloutés et precis
Grande fraîcheur et précision
Robe rubis foncée
Nez poivré délicat fruit rouge grande fraîcheur
Bouche fraîche précise au tanins ultra veloutés et precis
Grande fraîcheur et précision
In perfect balance. Everything one could draw out is there. Structure is excellent. This wine was elegant and approachable with a silky tannin structure and a strong fruit core, making the wine approachable immediately but worth a good wait as well. If this is not an outstanding vintage, I can’t imagine what is (besides the structure to facilitate a highly extended aging period, which this wine may lack). Rather, I think this is good wine making through and through that allows the wine making, vintage, and dirt to harmonize into a high quality. What’s the point of rating something like this?
In perfect balance. Everything one could draw out is there. Structure is excellent. This wine was elegant and approachable with a silky tannin structure and a strong fruit core, making the wine approachable immediately but worth a good wait as well. If this is not an outstanding vintage, I can’t imagine what is (besides the structure to facilitate a highly extended aging period, which this wine may lack). Rather, I think this is good wine making through and through that allows the wine making, vintage, and dirt to harmonize into a high quality. What’s the point of rating something like this?
Mar 19th, 2020
Popped, poured, and blinded this wine. It didn't take long for the notes to lead me towards Hermitage (so intense!), but I didn't think it was Chave's because it was lacking the meaty notes that I associate with his wines. I am, however, not an authority on Chave - I can count the number of times I've drank his Hermitage with my hands. Regardless, the 2014 Hermitage was certainly impressive and my WOTN. Full-bodied, dark fruits, quite ripe, but in no way jammy, spice - anise, juniper, and bay leaf, licorice, deep minerals, sexy supple texture. As the night progressed - seriously stony, air has brought out the meatiness (bacon), along with some gamey and musky tones. The fruit adamantly refuses to subside on the palate. A real masterpiece, especially for the vintage.
Here's another case of infanticide on my end, but at least in the name of research, I can attest to the excellence of this wine. Personally, though, I was missing some floral and crushed pepper characters which I love in Syrah. Just nit-picking.
Popped, poured, and blinded this wine. It didn't take long for the notes to lead me towards Hermitage (so intense!), but I didn't think it was Chave's because it was lacking the meaty notes that I associate with his wines. I am, however, not an authority on Chave - I can count the number of times I've drank his Hermitage with my hands. Regardless, the 2014 Hermitage was certainly impressive and my WOTN. Full-bodied, dark fruits, quite ripe, but in no way jammy, spice - anise, juniper, and bay leaf, licorice, deep minerals, sexy supple texture. As the night progressed - seriously stony, air has brought out the meatiness (bacon), along with some gamey and musky tones. The fruit adamantly refuses to subside on the palate. A real masterpiece, especially for the vintage.
Here's another case of infanticide on my end, but at least in the name of research, I can attest to the excellence of this wine. Personally, though, I was missing some floral and crushed pepper characters which I love in Syrah. Just nit-picking.
Nose sweet dark cherry mineral chocolate pepper taste massive smooth tannins dark cherry tobacco earthieness mineral dark chocolate long finish
Nose sweet dark cherry mineral chocolate pepper taste massive smooth tannins dark cherry tobacco earthieness mineral dark chocolate long finish
Feb 16th, 2018
