2003 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin

Tasting with Jean-Louis Chave is a highlight of my Rhone trip, and not just because the wines aren't bad. Plenty of time must be allotted for his philosophic musings and intellectual grappling with each of his cuvees' individual qualities. He constantly questions how close he has come to extracting the truest expression of each of his vineyards. One leaves a typical marathon tasting here with the sense that Chave is carrying almost six centuries' worth of responsibility on his shoulders-and, as a matter of fact, he is. The concept of terroir doesn't get lip service here, it gets a full dissertation. Not surprisingly, Chave has excelled in 2004 and 2005 with both white and red wines, and his 2005 Saint-Joseph looks to be a winner, too. It's unfortunate that the realities of the market have pushed the price of the Chave Hermitage beyond the grasp of all but the wealthiest or most crazed wine lovers, as they can be among the handful of the world's most profound drinking experiences. Speaking of market unreality, I was able to taste the 2003 Cuvee Cathelin, and I can count on one hand the number of wines I've had that can compare to it. Incidentally, there's another Jean-Louis Chave now, vintage 2006, ensuring continuity at this estate, which was established in 1481.

"Two thousand four is a very, very good year for white Hermitage but only the most serious producers are going to be able to make great reds," said Jean-Louis Chave.When I expressed surprise at this statement, he explained:"After 2003, a year when the vines suffered tremendously, they were too tired to immediately bounce back to full vigor in 2004."In 2003, the Chaves made what Jean-Louis called "the type of white wine that you make once in your lifetime" and he still seems to be in shock over the style of the red wine produced in that vintage, which he says has no precedent at this address.