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Domaine Jean Louis Chave

2008 Domaine Jean Louis Chave, Hermitage, Rouge 1.5L

France Syrah Rhone Hermitage 1.5L

Wine Advocate

90

Vinous

91-93

CellarTracker

92
/
2008 Domaine Jean Louis Chave, Hermitage, Rouge 1.5L
Domaine Jean Louis Chave

2008 Domaine Jean Louis Chave, Hermitage, Rouge 1.5L

France Syrah Rhone Hermitage 1.5L

Wine Advocate

90

Vinous

91-93

CellarTracker

92
/

The peak of blending, the plots going into the Hermitage rouge are the finest of the region - Bessards, Beaumes, Hermite, Péléat, and Méal. Mostly de-stemmed, the wine is fermented in stainless steel and tonneaux before being transferred to 228L barriques, predominantly neutral, and aged for around 30 months.

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The perfection of Syrah lies somewhere in between the assortment of ancient vines belonging to Jean-Louis Chave in the Rhone Valley's crown jewel: Hermitage. Though vat in comparison to Romanee-Conti, the pride and glory of these vineyards is just as storied. Chave is a master of the blend, and the rare master of both red and white variations of Hermitage.

Domaine Jean Louis Chave

Ever a humble man, maybe not as reticent and reclusive from the public eye as Jacques Reynaud, Jean-Louis Chave presides over the family Domaine that holds its roots in the Northern Rhone dating back to the fifteenth century. Yikes. Native to the village of Saint-Joseph, which was once considered some of the finest land of the Rhone, they made their name with the Hermitage wines - Blanc et Rouge - and its famed slopes. 

Before we talked at length as a wine culture about the art of blending, the Chave family may as well hold the title of the Dom Perignon of the Rhone - Jean-Louis and his father Gerard did and still do the unthinkable in blending all of their stunning old vineyards into one cuvée (save for select vintages, when a whopping 200 cases of Cuvée Cathelin is released). This is the ultimate example of the sum is greater than the parts, because in tasting the individual plots you would cry out to bottle them separately (as I have pled with several Champagne producers to release the vin clair as a Coteaux, seemingly in its perfect form already). Yet upon tasting the finished product, you know that Syrah has peaked, beyond comprehension. 

Meet the Producer

Domaine Jean Louis Chave

The perfection of Syrah lies somewhere in between the assortment of ancient vines belonging to Jean-Louis Chave in the Rhone Valley's crown jewel: Hermitage. Though vat in comparison to Romanee-Conti, the pride and glory of these vineyards is just as storied. Chave is a master of the blend, and the rare master of both red and white variations of Hermitage.

Ever a humble man, maybe not as reticent and reclusive from the public eye as Jacques Reynaud, Jean-Louis Chave presides over the family Domaine that holds its roots in the Northern Rhone dating back to the fifteenth century. Yikes. Native to the village of Saint-Joseph, which was once considered some of the finest land of the Rhone, they made their name with the Hermitage wines - Blanc et Rouge - and its famed slopes. 

Before we talked at length as a wine culture about the art of blending, the Chave family may as well hold the title of the Dom Perignon of the Rhone - Jean-Louis and his father Gerard did and still do the unthinkable in blending all of their stunning old vineyards into one cuvée (save for select vintages, when a whopping 200 cases of Cuvée Cathelin is released). This is the ultimate example of the sum is greater than the parts, because in tasting the individual plots you would cry out to bottle them separately (as I have pled with several Champagne producers to release the vin clair as a Coteaux, seemingly in its perfect form already). Yet upon tasting the finished product, you know that Syrah has peaked, beyond comprehension. 

The Wine Advocate

Wine Advocate

90

The 2008 Hermitage is a down-sized version of Chave’s typical Hermitage, but it is, nevertheless, an elegant, mid-weight, pure effort exhibiting berry fruit intermixed with hints of black currants, herbs, pepper, meat juice and bouquet garni. When asked how they made such a fine wine in such a difficult vintage, the Chaves said that over 33% of the entire harvest was declassified. The 2008 is a wine to consume in its first 10-12 years of life, although I suspect it will last longer. Tasting through the different Hermitage vineyards (including Peleat, Les Beaumes, Meal, l’Ermite and Les Bessards), the lowest score any of these lots received was 94-96 (Les Beaumes). The other parcels all merited 97-100 points. The most dominant component part of Chave’s red Hermitage comes from Les Bessards, which many consider to be the greatest vineyard on Hermitage Hill. The next largest is Meal, a vineyard with a more southerly exposure. While Chave has not made their special cuvee, Cuvee Cathelin, since 2003, I suspect one will emerge from the different lots of Les Bessards that I tasted as 2009 is certainly a year where enough wine can be culled out for the Cathelin without sacrificing the monumental quality of the regular Hermitage. This looks to be one of the wines of the vintage, which is not surprising given the fact that the Chave family has more experience than just about anybody in the winemaking world (the domaine was founded in 1481 - nearly a decade before Christopher Columbus discovered America!).

Vinous

Vinous

91-93

Tank #1: High-pitched red fruits and flowers on the nose, including a spicy overtone. Lively and precise, with excellent clarity and powerful raspberry and cherry characteristics. Tannins arrive late and fade into the fruit. Tank #2: Bright red berries and cherry aromas, complemented by building spiciness and a hint of cracked pepper. Tank #3: Deep cherry compote and cassis scents are augmented by notes of licorice and smoky herbs. Dense and chewy, with strong tannic grip and lingering smokiness. Tank #4: Bright red fruits and flowers on the nose, amplified by strong spiciness and silky tannins. Very pretty and light on its feet. This will be the largest component of the final wine, which should be approachable relatively young. It will be assembled shortly and bottled in January, 2011.

What the Critics are Saying

The Wine Advocate

Wine Advocate

90

The 2008 Hermitage is a down-sized version of Chave’s typical Hermitage, but it is, nevertheless, an elegant, mid-weight, pure effort exhibiting berry fruit intermixed with hints of black currants, herbs, pepper, meat juice and bouquet garni. When asked how they made such a fine wine in such a difficult vintage, the Chaves said that over 33% of the entire harvest was declassified. The 2008 is a wine to consume in its first 10-12 years of life, although I suspect it will last longer. Tasting through the different Hermitage vineyards (including Peleat, Les Beaumes, Meal, l’Ermite and Les Bessards), the lowest score any of these lots received was 94-96 (Les Beaumes). The other parcels all merited 97-100 points. The most dominant component part of Chave’s red Hermitage comes from Les Bessards, which many consider to be the greatest vineyard on Hermitage Hill. The next largest is Meal, a vineyard with a more southerly exposure. While Chave has not made their special cuvee, Cuvee Cathelin, since 2003, I suspect one will emerge from the different lots of Les Bessards that I tasted as 2009 is certainly a year where enough wine can be culled out for the Cathelin without sacrificing the monumental quality of the regular Hermitage. This looks to be one of the wines of the vintage, which is not surprising given the fact that the Chave family has more experience than just about anybody in the winemaking world (the domaine was founded in 1481 - nearly a decade before Christopher Columbus discovered America!).

Vinous

Vinous

91-93

Tank #1: High-pitched red fruits and flowers on the nose, including a spicy overtone. Lively and precise, with excellent clarity and powerful raspberry and cherry characteristics. Tannins arrive late and fade into the fruit. Tank #2: Bright red berries and cherry aromas, complemented by building spiciness and a hint of cracked pepper. Tank #3: Deep cherry compote and cassis scents are augmented by notes of licorice and smoky herbs. Dense and chewy, with strong tannic grip and lingering smokiness. Tank #4: Bright red fruits and flowers on the nose, amplified by strong spiciness and silky tannins. Very pretty and light on its feet. This will be the largest component of the final wine, which should be approachable relatively young. It will be assembled shortly and bottled in January, 2011.