Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage Rouge, Rhône Valley, France, 2023

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
This legendary Syrah is the estate’s flagship red, masterfully blended from multiple hillside parcels to create a structured, age-worthy masterpiece known for its notes of smoked meat, dark berries, and crushed granite.

97 Points - Decanter
A tasting of constituent barrels suggests this will be a particularly approachable and supple vintage of Chave's Hermitage – it is a vintage without great tannic mass or strong acidity, but has deliciously ripe Méal fruit. Very elegant, if fairly low in tannin compared to a typical year, this will drink well young, starting at around 2036 really, but will be approachable, if less rewarding, earlier than that.

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
As always, I was able to taste the 2023 Hermitage from multiple parcels, and it's clear this will be another beautiful Hermitage. The Péléat, which comes from sandier soils, is always more finesse-oriented. The Beaume lieu-dit brings more complexity and spice, the L'Ermite more minerality and rose petal nuances, and the Bessards always brings the granitic, graphite, structured core that defines this cuvée. I love the overall purity, elegance, and finesse of the 2023, which is a slight throwback to ripe, yet very classic, mineral-driven examples of Chave's Hermitage. It will offer some early enjoyment given its ripe style, yet the minerality and structure all point to it having ample longevity.

Product size: 750ml