Benchmark Wines by

Chave, J.L.

The Winery

Jean Louis Chave

"The vineyard is more important than who is making the wine. The vineyard was here before us and it will be here after us."
- Jean Louis Chave

The Wine Spectator deemed JL Chave, a 500 year old estate, “the most sought after Rhone bottling among private collectors.” With production at just over 3,000 cases per annum, his passion for letting the terrior speak through the grapes creates wines that are integrated, powerful and complex; there is no makeup on these wines. The focus is on great wines with an emphasis on father to son tradition ‘vignerons de Pere en Fils’.

University of California Davis graduate, Jean Louis Chave, took over as winemaker with the help of his father, Gerard, who is still very much active on the property. They believe the French appellations need more definition, which is evident in his passion for preserving the integrity and individuality of each parcel they source from before blending. There are no chemicals and no machines in the vineyards, and minimal intervention in the cellar. The wines are an expression of their soil, their people and their place.

www.domainejlchave.fr

2013
1 In Stock
1.5L
D98
WA94–97
V96
WS95
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Tasting Notes

WA94–97
Still in barrel at the time of this tasting, the 2013 Hermitage will certainly be one of the wines of the vintage. Offering classic, granite-induced notes of smoked dark fruits, graphite, searing minerality and bouquet garni, this sensational Hermitage has medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate density and building tannin, all with the freshness and purity of the vintage. Reminiscent of a more backwards, tight, focused and granite-driven year (I asked Jean-Louis if there was a similar vintage he could recall, he commented that he couldn't think of one), it has solid ripeness in its aromas and flavors, good sweetness in its tannin, and a great finish. I suspect it will need 7-8 years of cellaring and keep for 20-25 years or more. Range: 94-97
WS95
Solidly built, with a bolt of charcoal through the core of dark cherry, plum and blackberry preserves. Lots of bay, sage and leather fill in the background. Best from 2019 through 2034.

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