2017 | Domaine Jean-Louis Chave | Hermitage

Aromas of graphite, tar, dark chocolate and black cherries abound, as well as ripe dark plums. This is a very convincing and complex edition of this wine. The palate is so concentrated and has a super deep, plush and fleshy stream of fresh plums and blackberries, as well as a swathe of fine tannins. Profoundly rich and velvety with a strong backbone.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Jean-Louis Chave had done some preblending of the 2017 Hermitage at the time of my visit, meaning several parcels had already been combined with others, so there were fewer components to taste. A sample that included some L'Ermite, Les Beaumes and Péléat was fragrant, loaded with peppery spice and came across as slightly open-knit. A second component, mostly Le Méal, was richer and riper-tasting, with lush fruit and hints of roasted meat. Finally, a sample Jean-Louis described as "more the core of the blend" (mainly Les Bessards) was simultaneously firm and generous, with notes of crushed stone, cassis and licorice.

• James Suckling: This delivers a long, flowing feel, letting cassis, plum reduction and blackberry compote flavors unfurl slowly while black tea, singed alder, tar, warm loam and dried anise notes play out in the background. Shows grace, power and wonderful length, with the finish, built on tannins at first glance, revealing buried acidity and latent mineral notes.

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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