Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage Rouge, Rhône Valley, France, 1990

Overview of the Wine
Going back to 1481, when the first Jean-Louis Chave was gifted a vineyard in St Joseph by the nobleman Farconnet, 25 generations have farmed some of the best parcels in the Northern Rhône. Though now known as perhaps the best producer of Hermitage (and certainly among the best blenders in the world), the family only expanded to this famous hill during the mid-1800s wave of phylloxera that decimated Europe's vineyards. 

In the 1970s, when Gerard Chave took over from his father, the domaine rapidly achieved megastar status due to the extraordinary quality of his wines. Gerard's son Jean-Louis (25th of his name) now oversees the estate and has shown an ever expanding dedication to improving the already stunning quality of these rare wines. Jean-Louis Chave regularly dedicates the domaine to intense and exacting projects, the benefits of which will be seen by future generations. Indeed, the estate employs three full time stonemasons just to repair the traditional stone walls dotting the vineyards. 

Since the 1990s, Jean-Louis Chave has offered a second label known as 'J.L. Chave Sélection' that provides a glimpse of the reason for the estate's fame at a fraction of the price. Many of these wines are from declassified estate wine and long term farming contracts, and are vinified in the domaine's primary cellar in Mauves. 

Winemaker
Jean-Louis Chave

Grapes / Blend
Syrah

Origin
Hermitage AOC, Rhône Valley, France

Tasting Notes
 A 1990 Hermitage made by Gérard Chave, two years before he handed the domaine to his son Jean-Louis. That makes it a chance to taste this legendary house as the previous generation ran it. The family has been making wine since 1481, sixteen generations in all. During the phylloxera crisis they settled in Mauves, where the cellars still are, and in 1865 they bought their first parcels on the Hermitage hill. The Chaves are true believers in blending: they have never released a single-vineyard Hermitage, and the blend starts over every year. The steep granite of Bessards is always the backbone, Méal adds flesh from its alluvial soils, and L'Hermite's granite and loess add lift. The house approach is traditional: low yields, full ripeness, minimal oak and no filtering. A thirty-plus-year-old Chave is a special-occasion bottle in the truest sense, so stand it upright ahead of time, decant it gently and give it your full attention. 

99 Points - Decanter
The 1990 Hermitage is fully mature yet holding beautifully. Perfumed notes of sweet cassis and blackberry fruits, rose hips, smoked meats, and exotic spices all flow to a full-bodied, layered, seamless, flawlessly balanced Hermitage that glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. With resolved tannins, beautiful purity, and a great finish, it’s unquestionably ready to go, yet should hold nicely for another 8-10 years. 

98 Points - Wine Spectator
This still very rich and alluring, with a core of dark roasted plum, black currant and blackberry fruit that still has an unctuous feel. There are additional floral and black tea notes, flashes of bergamot and clove, and a lingering tarry edge that supports the finish. Still throws a long shadow. *Ranked #8 Top 100 Wines of 1994* (JM)

97 Points - Falstaff
Deep ruby colour, broad rim brightening. Fine roasted aromas, delicate caramel, sweet wild berry confit, smoky, mineral, tobacco nuances, a hint of black olive. Juicy red berry fruit, good complexity, finesse-rich acidity, vivid, well-integrated tannins, some nougat in the aftertaste, already very gluggable, good length, lemon hint, convincing length, a wine of great charm, silky, perfect to drink, great further ageing potential. 

96 Points - John Gilman
The 1990 Chave, in notable contrast to the ’90 La Chapelle, is a brilliant bottle of wine. There was a time four or five years ago when this vintage of Chave seemed to have a little bit of pruniness developing, but with further bottle age the wine has snapped back into focus and offers a stunningly pure and transcendental aromatic profile. The majestic bouquet soars from the glass in a mélange of black raspberries, cassis, black olives, hot stones, tobacco smoke, earth and a touch of La Mission-like chipotle pepper. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and minerally, with fine focus, great depth in the mid-palate, ripe tannins, solid acidity, and great length and grip on the profound finish. This is only a few years away from its absolute apogee, but it should drink at its peak for at least another three decades. A great Chave. 96+

96 Points - Wine Advocate
Tasted at Christies’ “Kings of the Rhone” tasting in London. The nose on this bottle is more subdued than I remember. Dark broody wild strawberry, raspberry and a touch of liquorice, white pepper sprinkled on top but it does not sprint out of the block. The palate is powerful and supple on the entry, fresh and succulent with great concentration... (NM)

96 Points - Vinous
The 1990 Hermitage has more richness and density, but it is also just a bit bretty. A whole range of sage, rose petal, licorice and lavender notes emerge over time. This isn’t the very best bottle of the 1990 I have ever had, but it is a fine example just the same. Like the 1989, the 1990 is peaking. It will likely hold on for a few more years, maybe more, but it won’t get any better than it is right now. (AG)

Product size: 750ml