2018 | Domaine Jean-Louis Chave | Hermitage Rouge

The 2018 is a rich and velvety red with black and blue fruit character mingling with notes of spice and violets.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: As virtually all of the various components of Chave's 2018 Hermitage were still separate, I've given a rating that reflects the variability I saw when tasting through the barrels and made a guess regarding Jean-Louis's blending sensibilities and available volumes. For example, the Péléat (92 - 94), a pretty, red-fruited element could add freshness but is likely to be a small portion of the blend (if it's even included). More impressive were the lush, mouthfilling Les Beaumes (95 -97) and stony, elegant Le Méal (94 - 96). Lots from L'Ermite (98 - 100) and Les Bessards (98 - 100) will likely make up the bulk of the blend, oozing with liquid stone, intense blueberry and cassis fruit, and possessing firm yet ripe structures.

• Jeb Dunnuck: Lastly, the 2018 Hermitage is still resting in its individual components, and it’s such an education tasting through the samples from Bessards, Péléat, Méal, and Beaumes. In some years, each terroir is easy to see (the spice and complexity from Péléat, the opulence from the Méal, etc.), yet in 2018, the Méal was more structured and inward and the l’Ermite was shockingly opulent and powerful. The crème de la crème was the sample from Les Bessards, and wine doesn’t get any better than that in my opinion. Regardless, all the samples possess incredible quality and show classic, powerful aromatics reminiscent of a classic, almost cooler year paired with massive richness, depth, and structure on the palate. Possibly coming closest in my mind to a hypothetical mix of the 2009 and 2010, this is a legendary Chave Hermitage in the making.

Producer Information

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is a powerhouse wine producer absed in the village of Mauves, in the Saint-Joseph region and just over the Rhône river from Hermitage – the source of the estate's most acclaimed wines. Chave's red and white Hermitage – based on Syrah and Marsanne and Roussanne respectively – are some of the most important in the Rhône Valley, commanding both high prices and exceptional, sometimes 100-point scores. The Chave holding counts some 14.5 hectares (36 acres) of land in Hermitage, making it one of the largest land owners in the appellation. The vineyards are terraced and today cover eight different plots on the hill (some of which, including holdings in the likes of the Méal and Bessards sections, are highly coveted), providing a range of mesoclimates and terroirs for the Chave wines. Many of the vines are between 30 and 60 years old. The plots are brought to the winery and vinified separately. Grapes are usually destemmed, and are fermented in stainless steel before being aged for up to 18 months in oak, a small portion of which is new. All of the wines are bottled unfiltered. Jean-Louis Chave make several wines under the Hermitage banner. The generic red and white Hermitage wines are Chave's flagships, although the range is headed by the Cathelin cuvée – one of the Rhone's most collectable wines. Chave also makes a couple of wines from Saint-Joseph and a Côtes du Rhône wine. Several wines are produced under the family's négociant arm: JL Chave Séléctions. The Chave family have been growing grapes since 1481, and today the domaine is run by Gerard Chave and his son, Jean-Louis.

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