2005 L'Hermitage

Jean-Louis Chave reported a healthy 2023 crop, yielding 35 to 40 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha) for reds and 38 hl/ha for whites—significantly above his long-term average of 25 to 28 hl/ha. Reflecting on the late-August heatwave that shaped the vintage, Chave remarked: “What’s interesting about the vine's evolution is its ability these days to say ‘stop’. In vintages like 2003, the heat shocked the vines. I truly believe they’ve adapted to arid conditions.” However, Chave noted a downside to this adaptation: “If there are too many grapes and the vine pauses due to the excess crop load, the timing of that pause becomes critical. Early slowing halts progress in sugar and phenolic ripeness, which is problematic. But if it happens later, it can be beneficial, as the vine might stop at 12.5 or 13% alcohol while phenolic ripening might continue.” Examining the diverse soil types on the Hill of Hermitage, Chave observed that ripening blockages were more common on granitic soils, which drain quickly, compared to clay-rich soils that retain more water. Data from the 2023 vintage reflects this: juice from Les Bessards lieu-dit on granitic soils reached 13% alcohol, while those from Méal, with its clay-rich soils, achieved 15%. How does Chave balance such disparities? “As always, through blending. Clay needs granite, and granite needs clay. Hermitage’s strength lies in the balance of these soils,” he explained. The differences in these base wines are evident in the glass. Les Bessards offers delicacy and finesse, while Méal provides riper fruit with less vibrancy. We also discussed the impact of heatwaves, like the one in late August 2023, on acidity. “In a vintage like 2023, with lower tartaric acidity, lactic or even acetic acids can compensate in tasting. Acetic acidity is harsher and less appealing, while lactic acidity is softer. Tartaric acid, on the other hand, rarely harmonizes with wine. In 2023, the ten-day August heatwave burned off much of the tartaric acidity. In contrast, 2022 retained more tartaric acidity,” Chave concluded. Judging from early tastings, both the red and white Hermitages from 2023 show remarkable vivacity. The same applies to the 2023 Saint-Joseph Clos Florentin. As for the 2022s, the red Hermitage remains unbottled and will be covered in my next report. The 2022 L’Hermitage Blanc, in bottle since September 2024, stands out as an exceptional white, ranking alongside the extraordinary 2019, which I tasted alongside it.

Jean-Louis Chave smiled when I asked him about his latest destemming practices. “That's the number one question these days. In the past, I was always asked about new oak proportions. Both aspects are very interesting, though, because new oak, as well as destemming, has a direct impact on wine style. For my Saint-Joseph, I usually keep a small proportion of stems. What’s interesting is that whenever I use whole clusters in fermentation, the grapes are grown on very granitic soils. As soon as there's a bit of clay in the soil, I destem. In Hermitage, it's more complicated because, historically, winemakers generally destemmed all their grapes. These days, I usually add some whole clusters from the Les Béssards lieu-dit because these soils are very granitic. In my opinion, stems introduce a bit of rusticity to Syrah and a hint of tannin astringency. But at the same time, I feel that stems positively contribute to a wine’s freshness. As temperatures rise – especially in the Rhône Valley – winemakers need to find methods to preserve freshness, and keeping some stems can help with that. It's complicated, though, because even though stems provide aromatic freshness, it deacidifies the wines. Historically speaking, there have been great wines with whole cluster fermentation and great wines that used fully destemmed fruit. Take Henri Jayer from Burgundy, for example; he absolutely hated stems.” In 2021, Chave fully destemmed nearly all his grapes because the stems weren’t fully ripe. It was a rather complicated vintage because although there was ripeness, dilution was also present. Chave continued, “Add rainwater to ripeness. Not last-minute rain, not rain just before harvest, but regular rain from the beginning of the growing season. Two thousand twenty-one is interesting because, without the dilution, we might have achieved 15% natural alcohol. If you think about it, smaller vintages of the past couldn’t achieve such ripeness. In 2021, we went much further in ripeness, but there was some dilution. I never saw this before because there are rainy vintages like 2002, 2008 or 2014, where the grapes struggled to ripen; 2021 is a vintage where the grapes ripened, but with water. And fortunately, the heavy rainfalls during the winter of 2021/2022 helped prepare the soils for the hot and dry 2022 vintage.” Taking a closer look at what’s in the glass, Chave’s wines continue to shine with class, clarity and refinement. Interestingly, the quality difference between 2021 and 2022 is almost nonexistent for the white Hermitages, as opposed to the reds. In the latter case, 2022 has a clear edge over 2021. The whites may end up achieving the same quality, although they are different in style. Both the Saint-Joseph, as well as the Saint-Joseph Clos Florentin, are shaping up nicely in 2022. In 2022, the vines generally accumulated less sugar in their berries compared to other warm and sunny vintages (like 2018 or 2019) and it was harder for sugar levels and phenolic ripeness to converge. To conclude this visit, Chave pulled the cork of a refined 2001 Hermitage, currently sitting in an excellent drinking spot.

Jean-Louis Chave smiled when I asked him about his latest destemming practices. “That's the number one question these days. In the past, I was always asked about new oak proportions. Both aspects are very interesting, though, because new oak, as well as destemming, has a direct impact on wine style. For my Saint-Joseph, I usually keep a small proportion of stems. What’s interesting is that whenever I use whole clusters in fermentation, the grapes are grown on very granitic soils. As soon as there's a bit of clay in the soil, I destem. In Hermitage, it's more complicated because, historically, winemakers generally destemmed all their grapes. These days, I usually add some whole clusters from the Les Béssards lieu-dit because these soils are very granitic. In my opinion, stems introduce a bit of rusticity to Syrah and a hint of tannin astringency. But at the same time, I feel that stems positively contribute to a wine’s freshness. As temperatures rise – especially in the Rhône Valley – winemakers need to find methods to preserve freshness, and keeping some stems can help with that. It's complicated, though, because even though stems provide aromatic freshness, it deacidifies the wines. Historically speaking, there have been great wines with whole cluster fermentation and great wines that used fully destemmed fruit. Take Henri Jayer from Burgundy, for example; he absolutely hated stems.” In 2021, Chave fully destemmed nearly all his grapes because the stems weren’t fully ripe. It was a rather complicated vintage because although there was ripeness, dilution was also present. Chave continued, “Add rainwater to ripeness. Not last-minute rain, not rain just before harvest, but regular rain from the beginning of the growing season. Two thousand twenty-one is interesting because, without the dilution, we might have achieved 15% natural alcohol. If you think about it, smaller vintages of the past couldn’t achieve such ripeness. In 2021, we went much further in ripeness, but there was some dilution. I never saw this before because there are rainy vintages like 2002, 2008 or 2014, where the grapes struggled to ripen; 2021 is a vintage where the grapes ripened, but with water. And fortunately, the heavy rainfalls during the winter of 2021/2022 helped prepare the soils for the hot and dry 2022 vintage.” Taking a closer look at what’s in the glass, Chave’s wines continue to shine with class, clarity and refinement. Interestingly, the quality difference between 2021 and 2022 is almost nonexistent for the white Hermitages, as opposed to the reds. In the latter case, 2022 has a clear edge over 2021. The whites may end up achieving the same quality, although they are different in style. Both the Saint-Joseph, as well as the Saint-Joseph Clos Florentin, are shaping up nicely in 2022. In 2022, the vines generally accumulated less sugar in their berries compared to other warm and sunny vintages (like 2018 or 2019) and it was harder for sugar levels and phenolic ripeness to converge. To conclude this visit, Chave pulled the cork of a refined 2001 Hermitage, currently sitting in an excellent drinking spot.

Jean-Louis Chave calls both 2018 and 2019 “strange years, because even though both were hot and dry, there was still strong acidity.” Thankfully, “while the fruit was ripe and alcohol levels are high, the fruit isn’t roasted. The wines are a great surprise because they have energy and focus.” He said that in 2019 “the yeasts had to work very hard to eat up the sugars, so some fermentations went long, which isn’t a bad thing, although is stressful.”

Jean-Louis Chave calls both 2018 and 2019 “strange years, because even though both were hot and dry, there was still strong acidity.” Thankfully, “while the fruit was ripe and alcohol levels are high, the fruit isn’t roasted. The wines are a great surprise because they have energy and focus.” He said that in 2019 “the yeasts had to work very hard to eat up the sugars, so some fermentations went long, which isn’t a bad thing, although is stressful.”

Jean-Louis Chave said that because of the 2017s’ richness and forward fruit, he thinks that too many people will make the mistake of drinking the wines too young. “They probably won’t start to show much in the way of complexity until at least seven years after release, and they should age extremely well.” The fruit bunches were quite small, he said, and the berries as well. “You have serious concentration and ripeness, but also the tannic structure to hold it up.” Even though many of the wines from the region cruise up to the 15% level, “there’s not a sense of heat and definitely no cooked character to the fruit.”

Weather-wise, comparisons of 2017 to 2015 are apt, Jean-Louis Chave told me “but the difference is that because of fewer clusters than normal in 2017 the vines were able to work with less pressure than in 2015, when they were carrying a full crop of fruit.” That fruit gave wines of distinct “richness and expression” he told me, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised to see them showing very well on the younger side than usual because “they already give off a lot of perfume and aren’t closed up like the 2015s were at the same stage.” The components of Chave’s 2017 Saint-Josephs and Hermitage I tasted were definitely extroverted in character, with relatively supple textures and rounded, even tannins. Keep in mind that even in “forward” vintages Chave’s Hermitage is a long-distance runner and the Saint-Joseph ages wonderfully as well. Based on plenty of past history, I have no doubt that these ‘17s will be drinking wonderfully well into their second and even third decade of life, especially the Hermitage.

It was an outstanding evening of fine food, fine wine and even finer friendship. Medlar delivered yet again, not just in terms of the impressive standard of cooking that complemented these bottles with aplomb, but particularly the sommelier team that handled all these bottles with care, skill and all-important smiles.

Jean-Louis Chave says that 2016 is a vintage that will probably “not be appreciated until it has a little age to show how elegant it is,” pointing out that after their immediate satisfaction, wines from ripe vintages need to settle down to show what they’re really made of. “It’s kind of the same with lighter years. They aren’t usually very obvious when they’re young, they seem shy and in need of some time to grow.” Chave’s take on 2016 is that it is a very good year, “maybe not a great one for aging.” Intense hailstorms in April followed by scattered attacks of powdery mildew took a severe toll on yields, he said, but there was plenty of time to cull any damaged fruit, and what he had left “was clean and perfectly ripe, with the right balance of fruit and tannins.” Those fortunate enough to get their hands on some of Chave’s 2016 Hermitage should refrain from comparing the wine to his powerful 2015, which is truly a wine for the ages. The 2016 is quite a bit more graceful and, perish the thought, it should be enjoyable on the young side, but I would still give it at least a decade of bottle age before pulling the cork. For mere mortals the 2016 Saint-Joseph is a superb alternative and one of the very best examples of the appellation in this vintage. As for the 2016 Saint-Joseph Clos Florentin, by all means grab any you can find (there isn’t much of it to go around) as it is also a stunner.

In spite of lower, hail- and mildew-influenced yields in 2016, Jean-Louis Chave told me that he’s extremely pleased with how the wines have turned out “because they are very accurate to their terroir,” with “fine detail and balance but concentration as well.” Chave is especially happy with the wines’ tannin integration, which should allow them to be accessible throughout most of their lives and not demand long cellaring. I know that it’s fashionable in some Rhône geek circles to gripe that today’s wines at this venerable estate aren’t the same as those made by Jean-Louis’s father, Gérard, and they’re correct. Under Jean-Louis’ watch they have become more consistent and more expressive at an earlier stage than his father’s wines, but with no loss of depth, intensity or age-worthiness. Simply put, these continue to be among France’s vinous gems.

The big news here is that Jean-Louis Chave will, with the 2015 vintage, finally release this historic domain’s first single-vineyard Saint-Joseph and what a wine it is. Made from fruit grown in Chave’s Clos Florentin, in the family’s hometown of Mauves, it is among the top wines of the appellation, to my taste. I’ve tasted it from barrel many times over the years, when it was a component for Chave’s reliably excellent (now “regular”) Saint-Joseph and while Jean-Louis always knew that, someday, it would wind up as a stand-alone wine, it took until the outstanding 2015 vintage for it to actually happen. To call it a must-buy for northern Rhône junkies is an understatement. Almost as big a news is that there is a 2015 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin bottling, the first one since 2009 and only the seventh made since it debuted with the 1990 vintage.

After suffering through the short crops of 2014 and 2013, Jean-Louis Chave told me that he was relieved to realize a normal crop, “which is always low, anyway, with all the old vines,” in 2015. Even better, he said, was the fact that the fruit was uniformly of extremely high quality—“healthy, ripe and with great natural acidity”—thanks to the cool nights that the region enjoyed, along with some well-timed rain. After showing me numerous barrels of his 2015 Ermitage components, Chave opened a bottle of his 2003 Hermitage (he still added the “H” to the name back then) to demonstrate the contrast between “a really hot-around-the-clock vintage” and those new wines that we’d just tasted. Looking back at my original notes on the 2003 components, I have little doubt that the ’15 here will be more elegant, fresh and precise than the ’03. At this stage it seems to be built more along the lines of Chave’s 2010, but less tannic, or maybe even 2013, but with more weight and with a dose of, say, 2009 thrown in for ripeness. I’ll also add, once again, that the Saint-Joseph here, especially from a great vintage like 2015, delivers remarkably good value for its quality, especially compared to Hermitages of equal quality.

Production of red wine here was off by almost 30 percent in 2014, Jean-Louis Chave told me. The rainy conditions during most of the summer necessitated lots of selection in the vineyards, and while the fruit that survived the culling was ripe and clean, the damage was done, yield-wise. "The old winemaking story: lots and lots of work to make a good wine but less of it," as the always introspective and rarely excitable Chave put it.

Jean-Louis Chave's decades-long Saint-Joseph project is finally coming into its final form. The finishing touches were being applied to his updated facility in the Clos Florentin during my visit in late December. Vines have been and are being planted on a steeply terraced south-facing hillside at the south end of Mauves, and Chave told me that he could, maybe, possibly, be ready to bottle two different Saint-Josephs sooner than later, one from Bachasson and the other from the Clos Florentin. But he is no hurry, he said, adding that "this has taken so much time and energy, why rush things now?"

Jean-Louis Chave's decades-long Saint-Joseph project is finally coming into its final form. The finishing touches were being applied to his updated facility in the Clos Florentin during my visit in late December. Vines have been and are being planted on a steeply terraced south-facing hillside at the south end of Mauves, and Chave told me that he could, maybe, possibly, be ready to bottle two different Saint-Josephs sooner than later, one from Bachasson and the other from the Clos Florentin. But he is no hurry, he said, adding that "this has taken so much time and energy, why rush things now?"

Jean-Louis Chave calls 2012 "a classic year for white Hermitage because the wines have weight, energy and great mineral expression," not to mention that they’re built to age. The 2013 white wine, which was still awaiting final blending and bottling when I visited here in December, is even more minerally but at this early stage doesn't seem to possess quite the depth or power of its younger sibling. I look forward to checking it out in bottle next winter. As for the 2012 vintage for red wine, Chave thinks that despite the wines' forward fruit and supple texture, "there are good tannin underneath and there's very good balance as well. The tannins might not be there for really long aging but that doesn't mean that the wines should be drunk too young." The best 2013s, he believes, happened "if the grower was patient enough to wait and harvest late, without being scared of the weather changing too fast." Those who did so made wines that he called "classic in structure and balance but not in richness, so they should not be buried to deep in the cellar." Chave's commitment to Saint-Joseph continues to bear fruit, as it were, with each vintage here revealing wines of greater depth and complexity, not to mention aromatic interest. The family has gone whole hog on trying to maximize the potential of the granitic soils of the appellation and Jean-Louis would like to think that a long time from now he'll be the Chave who is remembered for bringing Saint-Joseph "up to where it belongs and not just a 'little' Hermitage."

Jean-Louis Chave calls 2012 "a classic year for white Hermitage because the wines have weight, energy and great mineral expression," not to mention that they’re built to age. The 2013 white wine, which was still awaiting final blending and bottling when I visited here in December, is even more minerally but at this early stage doesn't seem to possess quite the depth or power of its younger sibling. I look forward to checking it out in bottle next winter. As for the 2012 vintage for red wine, Chave thinks that despite the wines' forward fruit and supple texture, "there are good tannin underneath and there's very good balance as well. The tannins might not be there for really long aging but that doesn't mean that the wines should be drunk too young." The best 2013s, he believes, happened "if the grower was patient enough to wait and harvest late, without being scared of the weather changing too fast." Those who did so made wines that he called "classic in structure and balance but not in richness, so they should not be buried to deep in the cellar." Chave's commitment to Saint-Joseph continues to bear fruit, as it were, with each vintage here revealing wines of greater depth and complexity, not to mention aromatic interest. The family has gone whole hog on trying to maximize the potential of the granitic soils of the appellation and Jean-Louis would like to think that a long time from now he'll be the Chave who is remembered for bringing Saint-Joseph "up to where it belongs and not just a 'little' Hermitage."

Jean-Louis Chave's 2011 red Hermitage was still awaiting final blending in preparation for a mid-winter bottling so I'll have a final bottle score at this time next year, but suffice it to say that it looks to be one of the highlights of the vintage, as does the white version. For his part, Chave thinks that the 2011 will be a structured, firm wine that should age well, while the 2012 will be more expressive early on.Two thousand fourteen marks the 22nd vintage that Jean-Louis has been at the helm of this iconic domain, which owns almost 14 hectares of vineyards on the Hermitage hill--or almost 11% of the total appellation--split between about two-thirds syrah and one-third marsanne and roussanne.The 2012 red wines here should turn out to be among the best Rhone wines of the vintage; I was especially struck in November by the continuing surge in quality of the estate's Saint-Joseph, which is now one of the best examples I know, along with that of Gonon and the top Chapoutier offerings.Chave reiterated that he finds that "it's much harder to blend white wines than reds because it's so easy to overwhelm and mute the delicate parts of the wine, while with syrah everything is more uniform, usually, so getting harmony is easier."As long-time Chave fans know, the white wine here ages just as well as the red (some think that it's an even better cellar candidate), a point that Chave made by opening two older bottles, blind, that are at different stages of their aging curve.The 2003 Hermitage Blanc is showing the richness and weight that marks the vintage, but it's almost shockingly energetic as well, with a firm mineral spine supporting intense orchard and pit fruit flavors.Jean-Louis' next brain-twister showed more age but also plenty of vivacity.Orange marmalade, honey and truffle qualities spoke of a wine from a warm vintage that was a couple of decades older than the '03, but knowing how slowly these wines evolve and the fact that the cold Chave cellar allows for even slower maturation, I guessed that it was from 1976.I was only off by 17 years as it turned out to be the 1959, which is, I'd say, an ageless wine.Being so far off has rarely tasted so good.He also blind-tasted me on the 1999 red wine, which is aging slowly but surely, with bitter cherry, licorice and iodine qualities dominating, and the supernal 1995 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin, which reminded me of a very serious grand cru Burgundy, with palate-staining red fruit and floral qualities and bright minerality that made it seem years younger.Readers fortunate enough to own it should count themselves extremely fortunate.

Jean-Louis Chave's 2011 red Hermitage was still awaiting final blending in preparation for a mid-winter bottling so I'll have a final bottle score at this time next year, but suffice it to say that it looks to be one of the highlights of the vintage, as does the white version. For his part, Chave thinks that the 2011 will be a structured, firm wine that should age well, while the 2012 will be more expressive early on.Two thousand fourteen marks the 22nd vintage that Jean-Louis has been at the helm of this iconic domain, which owns almost 14 hectares of vineyards on the Hermitage hill--or almost 11% of the total appellation--split between about two-thirds syrah and one-third marsanne and roussanne.The 2012 red wines here should turn out to be among the best Rhone wines of the vintage; I was especially struck in November by the continuing surge in quality of the estate's Saint-Joseph, which is now one of the best examples I know, along with that of Gonon and the top Chapoutier offerings.Chave reiterated that he finds that "it's much harder to blend white wines than reds because it's so easy to overwhelm and mute the delicate parts of the wine, while with syrah everything is more uniform, usually, so getting harmony is easier."As long-time Chave fans know, the white wine here ages just as well as the red (some think that it's an even better cellar candidate), a point that Chave made by opening two older bottles, blind, that are at different stages of their aging curve.The 2003 Hermitage Blanc is showing the richness and weight that marks the vintage, but it's almost shockingly energetic as well, with a firm mineral spine supporting intense orchard and pit fruit flavors.Jean-Louis' next brain-twister showed more age but also plenty of vivacity.Orange marmalade, honey and truffle qualities spoke of a wine from a warm vintage that was a couple of decades older than the '03, but knowing how slowly these wines evolve and the fact that the cold Chave cellar allows for even slower maturation, I guessed that it was from 1976.I was only off by 17 years as it turned out to be the 1959, which is, I'd say, an ageless wine.Being so far off has rarely tasted so good.He also blind-tasted me on the 1999 red wine, which is aging slowly but surely, with bitter cherry, licorice and iodine qualities dominating, and the supernal 1995 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin, which reminded me of a very serious grand cru Burgundy, with palate-staining red fruit and floral qualities and bright minerality that made it seem years younger.Readers fortunate enough to own it should count themselves extremely fortunate.

In Jean-Louis Chave's opinion "2011 was a year where the fruit came easily but not the texture, so we're focusing on building structure into the wine as we blend and emphasizing the vineyards that can contribute the most possible."He explained that the problem was the result of "having summer in the spring and spring in the summer, so the fruit came on quickly but the cold summer slowed tannin buildup."The frequent rains of the growing season throughout the northern Rhone were especially hard on low-lying and flatland vineyards, he said, noting that "it's a classic year where you see the value of hillside sites because some fantastic fruit was produced in those sites."Yields were "horrible" in 2011 and he knows that people will be screaming about reduced allocations "but there's only so much wine to spread around."Speaking of reduced allocations, Chave said that although 2010 would be a great year for a Cuvee Cathelin, yields were so low that he couldn't justify possibly cutting into the production of the classic cuvee "to make a tiny production of Cathelin that would also make people frustrated."He summed up 2010 as a vintage "that's all about purity and definition; the wines will live for a really long time."

The hotel boasts two restaurants, the two Michelin-starred La Pyramide and a bistro, L’Espace PH3. On the first night, attendees convened at the bistro in order to mine its eye-boggling wine lists, and the following day, the second part of the Chambertin tasting was accompanied by a specially prepared menu in the flagship restaurant.

It was an outstanding evening of fine food, fine wine and even finer friendship. Medlar delivered yet again, not just in terms of the impressive standard of cooking that complemented these bottles with aplomb, but particularly the sommelier team that handled all these bottles with care, skill and all-important smiles.

In Jean-Louis Chave's opinion "2011 was a year where the fruit came easily but not the texture, so we're focusing on building structure into the wine as we blend and emphasizing the vineyards that can contribute the most possible."He explained that the problem was the result of "having summer in the spring and spring in the summer, so the fruit came on quickly but the cold summer slowed tannin buildup."The frequent rains of the growing season throughout the northern Rhone were especially hard on low-lying and flatland vineyards, he said, noting that "it's a classic year where you see the value of hillside sites because some fantastic fruit was produced in those sites."Yields were "horrible" in 2011 and he knows that people will be screaming about reduced allocations "but there's only so much wine to spread around."Speaking of reduced allocations, Chave said that although 2010 would be a great year for a Cuvee Cathelin, yields were so low that he couldn't justify possibly cutting into the production of the classic cuvee "to make a tiny production of Cathelin that would also make people frustrated."He summed up 2010 as a vintage "that's all about purity and definition; the wines will live for a really long time."

"The only problem with 2010, and it's a big one," said Jean-Louis Chave, "is that production was down by 50% of normal because of the rain at flowering."He went on to describe the vintage as bright in character, saying that, in comparison "2009 is more angular, with the tannins not yet in harmony with the other parts of the wine."Chave's syrah vines are up to a century old and he is a firm believer in the primacy of massalle selection "because the newer clones are all fruit, without the violet character that defines--or defined--the variety."He noted that working with new oak is always tricky "because if the wood hasn't been properly seasoned, then the wood tannins will overwhelm the fruit tannins and throw the balance completely off, and even age won't make everything come back together.The bitter, raspy tannins won't integrate and will always stand out."

"The only problem with 2010, and it's a big one," said Jean-Louis Chave, "is that production was down by 50% of normal because of the rain at flowering."He went on to describe the vintage as bright in character, saying that, in comparison "2009 is more angular, with the tannins not yet in harmony with the other parts of the wine."Chave's syrah vines are up to a century old and he is a firm believer in the primacy of massalle selection "because the newer clones are all fruit, without the violet character that defines--or defined--the variety."He noted that working with new oak is always tricky "because if the wood hasn't been properly seasoned, then the wood tannins will overwhelm the fruit tannins and throw the balance completely off, and even age won't make everything come back together.The bitter, raspy tannins won't integrate and will always stand out."

Jean-Louis Chave led off our annual tasting by comparing his 2009 red wines to the estate's 1988s. "It's a vintage that combines power and balance. The wines are rich but not roasted, with very good purity and a tightness that suggests that they will age well," he told me. He observed that "the heat of the 2009 summer caused nitrogen in the grapes to drop, especially in low-lying and hot sites, which means that a lot of people who like to use ambient yeasts weren't able to do that." [Note: yeasts require a certain level of nitrogen in the grapes to survive, and if that level is too low there must either be an addition of nitrogen or the introduction of a cultured yeast that can get the job done.] Chave calls 2008 "an awful growing season that I'd like to forget. Every problem you could imagine happened: rain at flowering, then mildew which seemed to come up all season, and then rain at the end of August as we were gearing up for harvest. Thankfully we had three weeks of completely dry weather starting after the early September rain so the grapes were able to attain full maturity. Chave would also like to forget 2008 when it comes to his white wine, not because of the wine itself but because "it was the smallest production we've had in a long time." He told me that the biggest concern he has when making white wine is getting brightness and purity. "Richness is a given and heaviness is a danger with white Hermitage. We never do battonage and we try to keep movement of the wine to a minimum and to preserve the carbonic gas, which helps retain freshness and minimizes the need for sulfur." Jean-Louis added that "there's great syrah in a number of places in the Rhone but white Hermitage is utterly unique because of its marriage of power and finesse and especially its ability to age."

Jean-Louis Chave led off our annual tasting by comparing his 2009 red wines to the estate's 1988s. "It's a vintage that combines power and balance. The wines are rich but not roasted, with very good purity and a tightness that suggests that they will age well," he told me. He observed that "the heat of the 2009 summer caused nitrogen in the grapes to drop, especially in low-lying and hot sites, which means that a lot of people who like to use ambient yeasts weren't able to do that." [Note: yeasts require a certain level of nitrogen in the grapes to survive, and if that level is too low there must either be an addition of nitrogen or the introduction of a cultured yeast that can get the job done.] Chave calls 2008 "an awful growing season that I'd like to forget. Every problem you could imagine happened: rain at flowering, then mildew which seemed to come up all season, and then rain at the end of August as we were gearing up for harvest. Thankfully we had three weeks of completely dry weather starting after the early September rain so the grapes were able to attain full maturity. Chave would also like to forget 2008 when it comes to his white wine, not because of the wine itself but because "it was the smallest production we've had in a long time." He told me that the biggest concern he has when making white wine is getting brightness and purity. "Richness is a given and heaviness is a danger with white Hermitage. We never do battonage and we try to keep movement of the wine to a minimum and to preserve the carbonic gas, which helps retain freshness and minimizes the need for sulfur." Jean-Louis added that "there's great syrah in a number of places in the Rhone but white Hermitage is utterly unique because of its marriage of power and finesse and especially its ability to age."

Jean-Louis Chave was away the evening that I visited the estate's cellars in Mauves so I tasted through this year's wines with his wife, Erin, and his father, Gerard. Gerard, who is now in his early 70s, is fully retired but stays close to the wines and vines when he isn't off fishing, cooking or eating-which he told me he does as much as possible. Some people have asserted there has been a change in the oak regimen chez Chave but Gerard shrugged and told me that nothing has changed: "About 15% new oak every year because we replace the casks every seven years. Maybe people are confusing riper vintages with more oak."

Jean-Louis Chave was away the evening that I visited the estate's cellars in Mauves so I tasted through this year's wines with his wife, Erin, and his father, Gerard. Gerard, who is now in his early 70s, is fully retired but stays close to the wines and vines when he isn't off fishing, cooking or eating-which he told me he does as much as possible. Some people have asserted there has been a change in the oak regimen chez Chave but Gerard shrugged and told me that nothing has changed: "About 15% new oak every year because we replace the casks every seven years. Maybe people are confusing riper vintages with more oak."

Jean-Louis Chave told me he considers 2007 to be an interesting vintage, despite a bad August. "The wines are supple and precise at once, with very sweet fruit. The warm and windy September was a huge blessing for us. I like 2007 because we got the flesh that we want but also very good precision. The danger with Hermitage is that it can get so warm here that the wines are loose, even flabby. " Chave is also fond of 2006: "There's very good juiciness, minerality and freshness to the wines, but strength too. They remind me a lot of 1991. " He described the last three vintages in shorthand: "2007 is fruit, 2006 is minerals and 2005 is power. " Incidentally, the 2006 Hermitage was only partly assembled when I visited in mid-November as Chave felt the wine was benefiting from a lengthier elevage. Talking about the 1991s prompted Chave to open that vintage's Hermitage Blanc, which offers a compelling blend of richness and vivacity, with lively citrus and smoky honey qualities. To my palate it is just coming into maturity and has miles to go.

Jean-Louis Chave was away the evening that I visited the estate's cellars in Mauves so I tasted through this year's wines with his wife, Erin, and his father, Gerard. Gerard, who is now in his early 70s, is fully retired but stays close to the wines and vines when he isn't off fishing, cooking or eating-which he told me he does as much as possible. Some people have asserted there has been a change in the oak regimen chez Chave but Gerard shrugged and told me that nothing has changed: "About 15% new oak every year because we replace the casks every seven years. Maybe people are confusing riper vintages with more oak."

Jean-Louis Chave told me he considers 2007 to be an interesting vintage, despite a bad August. "The wines are supple and precise at once, with very sweet fruit. The warm and windy September was a huge blessing for us. I like 2007 because we got the flesh that we want but also very good precision. The danger with Hermitage is that it can get so warm here that the wines are loose, even flabby. " Chave is also fond of 2006: "There's very good juiciness, minerality and freshness to the wines, but strength too. They remind me a lot of 1991. " He described the last three vintages in shorthand: "2007 is fruit, 2006 is minerals and 2005 is power. " Incidentally, the 2006 Hermitage was only partly assembled when I visited in mid-November as Chave felt the wine was benefiting from a lengthier elevage. Talking about the 1991s prompted Chave to open that vintage's Hermitage Blanc, which offers a compelling blend of richness and vivacity, with lively citrus and smoky honey qualities. To my palate it is just coming into maturity and has miles to go.

"Two thousand six is a very good vintage but it is by no means an amazing one," said Jean-Louis Chave as we began our tour of the cellar. Chave, incidentally, believes that his 2005 Hermitage blanc is a wine for the ages. "It will shut down like crazy," he said, "but it will turn out to be a truly great wine, if you have the patience to wait 25 years, if not more." He also told me that, except in special years, "which doesn't just mean the ripest ones," he would never make anything but a single wine. "If all of the cuvees are running at the same speed I can't imagine a reason not to make a single Hermitage," he explained.

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.

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.

"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.

Gerard Chave picked a tiny crop (25 hectoliters per hectare) of superripe fruit at the beginning of September, later than most of his colleagues in Hermitage. "An elevated pH is not a problem if there's the glycerine to compensate for it," Chave told me in November. And there is no arguing with the extraordinary richness of Chave's red and white wines in 2003. As always, I tasted the young wines in their various components. A sample of wine from the lieu-dit Bessards was the best single barrel of young Hermitage I've tasted in recent memory. As to the 2003 blanc, Chave compares it to earlier vintages like 1961 and 1952, but he admits that the new year is really without precedent. It's hard to imagine another Hermitage producer offering 2003s with this magical combination of sweetness and verve. The wines are legends in the making.

Gerard Chave picked a tiny crop (25 hectoliters per hectare) of superripe fruit at the beginning of September, later than most of his colleagues in Hermitage. "An elevated pH is not a problem if there's the glycerine to compensate for it," Chave told me in November. And there is no arguing with the extraordinary richness of Chave's red and white wines in 2003. As always, I tasted the young wines in their various components. A sample of wine from the lieu-dit Bessards was the best single barrel of young Hermitage I've tasted in recent memory. As to the 2003 blanc, Chave compares it to earlier vintages like 1961 and 1952, but he admits that the new year is really without precedent. It's hard to imagine another Hermitage producer offering 2003s with this magical combination of sweetness and verve. The wines are legends in the making.

Jean-Louis Chave smiled when I asked him about his latest destemming practices. “That's the number one question these days. In the past, I was always asked about new oak proportions. Both aspects are very interesting, though, because new oak, as well as destemming, has a direct impact on wine style. For my Saint-Joseph, I usually keep a small proportion of stems. What’s interesting is that whenever I use whole clusters in fermentation, the grapes are grown on very granitic soils. As soon as there's a bit of clay in the soil, I destem. In Hermitage, it's more complicated because, historically, winemakers generally destemmed all their grapes. These days, I usually add some whole clusters from the Les Béssards lieu-dit because these soils are very granitic. In my opinion, stems introduce a bit of rusticity to Syrah and a hint of tannin astringency. But at the same time, I feel that stems positively contribute to a wine’s freshness. As temperatures rise – especially in the Rhône Valley – winemakers need to find methods to preserve freshness, and keeping some stems can help with that. It's complicated, though, because even though stems provide aromatic freshness, it deacidifies the wines. Historically speaking, there have been great wines with whole cluster fermentation and great wines that used fully destemmed fruit. Take Henri Jayer from Burgundy, for example; he absolutely hated stems.” In 2021, Chave fully destemmed nearly all his grapes because the stems weren’t fully ripe. It was a rather complicated vintage because although there was ripeness, dilution was also present. Chave continued, “Add rainwater to ripeness. Not last-minute rain, not rain just before harvest, but regular rain from the beginning of the growing season. Two thousand twenty-one is interesting because, without the dilution, we might have achieved 15% natural alcohol. If you think about it, smaller vintages of the past couldn’t achieve such ripeness. In 2021, we went much further in ripeness, but there was some dilution. I never saw this before because there are rainy vintages like 2002, 2008 or 2014, where the grapes struggled to ripen; 2021 is a vintage where the grapes ripened, but with water. And fortunately, the heavy rainfalls during the winter of 2021/2022 helped prepare the soils for the hot and dry 2022 vintage.” Taking a closer look at what’s in the glass, Chave’s wines continue to shine with class, clarity and refinement. Interestingly, the quality difference between 2021 and 2022 is almost nonexistent for the white Hermitages, as opposed to the reds. In the latter case, 2022 has a clear edge over 2021. The whites may end up achieving the same quality, although they are different in style. Both the Saint-Joseph, as well as the Saint-Joseph Clos Florentin, are shaping up nicely in 2022. In 2022, the vines generally accumulated less sugar in their berries compared to other warm and sunny vintages (like 2018 or 2019) and it was harder for sugar levels and phenolic ripeness to converge. To conclude this visit, Chave pulled the cork of a refined 2001 Hermitage, currently sitting in an excellent drinking spot.

Gerard Chave picked a tiny crop (25 hectoliters per hectare) of superripe fruit at the beginning of September, later than most of his colleagues in Hermitage. "An elevated pH is not a problem if there's the glycerine to compensate for it," Chave told me in November. And there is no arguing with the extraordinary richness of Chave's red and white wines in 2003. As always, I tasted the young wines in their various components. A sample of wine from the lieu-dit Bessards was the best single barrel of young Hermitage I've tasted in recent memory. As to the 2003 blanc, Chave compares it to earlier vintages like 1961 and 1952, but he admits that the new year is really without precedent. It's hard to imagine another Hermitage producer offering 2003s with this magical combination of sweetness and verve. The wines are legends in the making.

Tasting at Chave in November, though always a treat,x000D gives only an approximation of the quality - and style - of the 14-month-oldx000D vintage in barrel. Indeed, Gerard Chavex000D reminds me every year that the ultimate blend, which in the case of the 2001x000D will not be made until March, will be a wine unlike any component I tastex000D during my visit. And the finished wine,x000D Chave maintains, has a way of being better than any of its components, partlyx000D due to the fact that the Chaves sell off barrels that don't fit into thex000D blend. That said, the young 2001 looksx000D to be a worthy successor to the splendid 2000.

Tasting at Chave in November, though always a treat,x000D gives only an approximation of the quality - and style - of the 14-month-oldx000D vintage in barrel. Indeed, Gerard Chavex000D reminds me every year that the ultimate blend, which in the case of the 2001x000D will not be made until March, will be a wine unlike any component I tastex000D during my visit. And the finished wine,x000D Chave maintains, has a way of being better than any of its components, partlyx000D due to the fact that the Chaves sell off barrels that don't fit into thex000D blend. That said, the young 2001 looksx000D to be a worthy successor to the splendid 2000.

Although the Chaves are justly proud of the rich, stylish red wine they have in the works in 2000, Jean-Louis Chave told me that this vintage is almost more of a white wine year than '99. "In '99, white Hermitage is fat and powerful, but without quite the same balance as in 2000," he explained. "In contrast, 2000 has stuffing and fat but also great suavity, which will allow the wine to express itself sooner." High yields were not a factor at this address in 2000: the Chaves made one-third less wine than in the previous year, according to Jean-Louis. Nineteen ninety-nine yielded wonderful wines here, despite the fact that the domain did not make a separate Cuvee Cathelin bottling. Jean-Louis was moderately concerned that some observers would think this decision meant that the Chaves considered '99 to be less than outstanding. On the contrary: the issue in '99 was that virtually all of the family's lieux-dit produced very rich, rather powerful wine, with the vintage character partly overshadowing site specificity. Under the circumstances, Jean-Louis explained, the Chaves would not have been able to make a special bottling that was markedly different in style from the rest. In '98, in contrast, it was possible to make a Cathelin with significantly more refinement than the regular cuvee

It was an outstanding evening of fine food, fine wine and even finer friendship. Medlar delivered yet again, not just in terms of the impressive standard of cooking that complemented these bottles with aplomb, but particularly the sommelier team that handled all these bottles with care, skill and all-important smiles.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

Although the Chaves are justly proud of the rich, stylish red wine they have in the works in 2000, Jean-Louis Chave told me that this vintage is almost more of a white wine year than '99. "In '99, white Hermitage is fat and powerful, but without quite the same balance as in 2000," he explained. "In contrast, 2000 has stuffing and fat but also great suavity, which will allow the wine to express itself sooner." High yields were not a factor at this address in 2000: the Chaves made one-third less wine than in the previous year, according to Jean-Louis. Nineteen ninety-nine yielded wonderful wines here, despite the fact that the domain did not make a separate Cuvee Cathelin bottling. Jean-Louis was moderately concerned that some observers would think this decision meant that the Chaves considered '99 to be less than outstanding. On the contrary: the issue in '99 was that virtually all of the family's lieux-dit produced very rich, rather powerful wine, with the vintage character partly overshadowing site specificity. Under the circumstances, Jean-Louis explained, the Chaves would not have been able to make a special bottling that was markedly different in style from the rest. In '98, in contrast, it was possible to make a Cathelin with significantly more refinement than the regular cuvee

Since my last visit, the Chaves have installed a state-of-the-art system enabling them to control the temperature of the various rooms of their cellar independently. Other than that, the gloomy cellars beneath their house in Mauves have changed little in the last century or so. The wines, not surprisingly, are as spectacularly fine as ever. As characterized by Jean-Louis Chave, 1999 featured a growing season without climatic shocks, and the steady maturation of the grapes has yielded a wine of great balance. "In 1998, the challenge was to find the glycerol and gras to buffer the tannins, while in '99, because the component wines were much rounder, it was easier to make an assemblage " Jean-Louis noted. Although the quality of the '99 vintage surely merits a special Cuvee Cathelin bottling, the Chaves had not yet made a final determination in November. Given the nature of the vintage, it possible that the most structured, firmly tannic components of '99 juice will be needed to give the overall blend the backbone and grip for long-term ageability. Incidentally, the Chaves will release small quantities of their first Vin de Paille since 1990 after they bottle the '96 sometime in the coming months. Coincidentally, the extraordinary '96, with its honeyed yet utterly vibrant aromas and flavors of orange zest and marmalade, resembles the '90 in style, while the still-fermenting (!) '97, with its gamier, more liqueur-like character and uncanny thickness and sucrosity, more closely resembles the incredible '89.

Since my last visit, the Chaves have installed a state-of-the-art system enabling them to control the temperature of the various rooms of their cellar independently. Other than that, the gloomy cellars beneath their house in Mauves have changed little in the last century or so. The wines, not surprisingly, are as spectacularly fine as ever. As characterized by Jean-Louis Chave, 1999 featured a growing season without climatic shocks, and the steady maturation of the grapes has yielded a wine of great balance. "In 1998, the challenge was to find the glycerol and gras to buffer the tannins, while in '99, because the component wines were much rounder, it was easier to make an assemblage " Jean-Louis noted. Although the quality of the '99 vintage surely merits a special Cuvee Cathelin bottling, the Chaves had not yet made a final determination in November. Given the nature of the vintage, it possible that the most structured, firmly tannic components of '99 juice will be needed to give the overall blend the backbone and grip for long-term ageability. Incidentally, the Chaves will release small quantities of their first Vin de Paille since 1990 after they bottle the '96 sometime in the coming months. Coincidentally, the extraordinary '96, with its honeyed yet utterly vibrant aromas and flavors of orange zest and marmalade, resembles the '90 in style, while the still-fermenting (!) '97, with its gamier, more liqueur-like character and uncanny thickness and sucrosity, more closely resembles the incredible '89.

On my recent pilgrimage to this cellar of wonders beneath the drab, gray surface of Mauves, Gerard Chave took great pleasure in telling me that the wines he ultimately puts on the market have little resemblance to those that early barrel tasters describe. After all, the blend he and his son Jean-Louis assemble during the second March is different than any of the elements on their own. "We create a wine that no early taster knows," is how he put it. "Every year we start from zero in assembling the blend." The Chaves don't hesitate to sell off components that don't fit into the blend; in fact, they don't know the quantity of wine they'll be able to offer until the assemblage is made. The '98 vintage brought the smallest crop at this address in 20 years: some of the Chaves' lieux-dit yielded just 15-20 hectoliters per hectare. (Crop levels were literally twice as high in the copious '99 harvest, by the way.) Quality was more regular in '98 than in '97, reports Jean-Louis Chave; although the raw materials show a more classic structure than in '97, he notes, the skins were actually riper than those of the previous year.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Osteria Francescana, and featured in Vinous Table.

On my recent pilgrimage to this cellar of wonders beneath the drab, gray surface of Mauves, Gerard Chave took great pleasure in telling me that the wines he ultimately puts on the market have little resemblance to those that early barrel tasters describe. After all, the blend he and his son Jean-Louis assemble during the second March is different than any of the elements on their own. "We create a wine that no early taster knows," is how he put it. "Every year we start from zero in assembling the blend." The Chaves don't hesitate to sell off components that don't fit into the blend; in fact, they don't know the quantity of wine they'll be able to offer until the assemblage is made. The '98 vintage brought the smallest crop at this address in 20 years: some of the Chaves' lieux-dit yielded just 15-20 hectoliters per hectare. (Crop levels were literally twice as high in the copious '99 harvest, by the way.) Quality was more regular in '98 than in '97, reports Jean-Louis Chave; although the raw materials show a more classic structure than in '97, he notes, the skins were actually riper than those of the previous year.

This is a vintage "at the extreme of richness," says Gerard Chave about 1997. The red Hermitage will be fat and multilayered, while the white will be one of the top examples made here in the last 20 years. Despite healthy yields roughly the same as those of the previous year, the white grapes got an almost passerille concentration in '97, said Chave, who was cagey about the possibility of some sort of special white wine cuvee being made this year. These very rich wines fermented slowly, with some cuvees not finishing until late last summer. "Did you block the malolactic fermentation in the '97?" I asked. "Never," replied Chave; "When you block the malo the wine never develops the same interesting secondary and tertiary aromas--the malic acidity blocks these aromas." For the long-term development of this wine in bottle, adds Chave, gras and glycerol will take the place of acidity. Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave also staged a remarkable vertical tasting for me in early December, the results of which will be published in an upcoming issue.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

This is a vintage "at the extreme of richness," says Gerard Chave about 1997. The red Hermitage will be fat and multilayered, while the white will be one of the top examples made here in the last 20 years. Despite healthy yields roughly the same as those of the previous year, the white grapes got an almost passerille concentration in '97, said Chave, who was cagey about the possibility of some sort of special white wine cuvee being made this year. These very rich wines fermented slowly, with some cuvees not finishing until late last summer. "Did you block the malolactic fermentation in the '97?" I asked. "Never," replied Chave; "When you block the malo the wine never develops the same interesting secondary and tertiary aromas--the malic acidity blocks these aromas." For the long-term development of this wine in bottle, adds Chave, gras and glycerol will take the place of acidity. Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave also staged a remarkable vertical tasting for me in early December, the results of which will be published in an upcoming issue.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

I have been to NoMad many times, but most of the times to host Vinous events in one of the private rooms. I was really looking forward to this dinner in the main dining room as a brief distraction during what has become a very rough time around the world.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

I have been to NoMad many times, but most of the times to host Vinous events in one of the private rooms. I was really looking forward to this dinner in the main dining room as a brief distraction during what has become a very rough time around the world.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

This wine was tasted at Daniel during a dinner that was auctioned at the Jackson Hole Wine Auction.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Ristorante Morini, NY in May, 2014.

On my annual visit to the Rhône Valley in December, the Chaves, by most accounts the oldest wine family in the Northern Rhône Valley (dating back to 1481, when most of their neighbors were still amoebas), staged a rare vertical tasting of their extraordinary red Hermitage. The Chaves have built up their holdings on the Hermitage hill to 15 hectares, including 10 of red Hermitage spread over seven of the appellation top lieux-dits: Diognières, Rocoules, Péleat, Méals, Beaumes, L'Hermite and Bessards. The multiple components are vinified using traditional methods and aged separately, then blended during the second spring after the vintage. It is this careful blending that makes the Chaves' Hermitage so unique, and so complete: Gérard Chave, ably assisted in recent years by his son Jean-Louis, looks for the perfect mixture of fruit, spice, and tannin. The finished wine has the force and virility of Hermitage, but also great delineation of flavor and refinement. Wine that does not fit into the blend is sold off in bulk to the négoce. Total production of red wine ranges between 1,800 and 2,500 cases per year.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D While Chave's overall winemaking philosophy has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, there has been continual evolution of technique over the years; in my tastings of Chave's Hermitage, I have always found the wines beginning with '85 a bit more modern in style. Indeed, since this time, reports Jean-Louis Chave, the Chaves have picked grapes with even more thorough physiological ripeness; greater attention has been paid to gentle handling of the grapes between vineyard and cellar; destemming was introduced; and élevage, particularly the timing and frequency of racking, has become more precise. Also in 1985, the estate began to use a bit of new oak.x000D x000D x000D x000D x000D The best vintages of this great Hermitage need 10 to 15 years to approach maturity and are easily capable of lasting for 25 to 30 years, or longer. (I've had fabulously expressive vintages of Chave's white Hermitage back to 1929!) Following my vertical tasting, the Chaves also showed me the three vintages to date of their special Cuvée Cathélin. This wine is a master blender's master blend, made in very limited quantities in outstanding vintages—that is, years in which the Chaves are confident that borrowing a bit of wine from a few lieux-dits will not compromise the quality of the estate's main wine.

Maybe I don’t believe in Santa as I did when I was child, but I do believe in celebrating Christmas with fine wines and company like this.