2022 Jean-Louis Chave L'Hermitage Rouge. Syrah. Hermitage/Northern Rhone, FRANCE. 750ml.
In an amazing example of vinous lineage, the Chave family has been growing grapes on the hill of Hermitage since 1481. Today the estate is run by Gerard Chave and his son Jean-Louis and they produce some of the regions finest wines including a red & white Hermitage, a St-Joseph and a Côtes du Rhône Mon Coeur. Superb vineyard holdings including prime slices of Bessards, L'Hermite, Peleat and Meal in Hermitage, and incredibly high standards in both the vineyard and cellar, the wines are made in a very hands-off fashion and show great detail, nuance and regional typicity.
96-98
Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 05/2025
Focused red and black fruits, leather, graphite, and spice emerge from the 2022 Hermitage, and it's about as classic an expression of the vintage as you're likely to find with its ripe yet almost strict, focused, balanced character. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it displays a Pinot-like elegance and seamlessness, with fine yet building, firm tannins and incredible length. It's going to age beautifully, but I suspect the cellar will be your friend here.
96-
98
Vinous
Review Date: 03/2024
I tasted various separately vinified lieux-dits that will eventually curate the 2022 L'Hermitage. Both the L'Ermite and Les Bessards, the cuvée’s backbone, show terrific structure, finesse and complexity. I am totally taken by the sheer beauty of the Les Beaumes with its striking inner energy and the mesmerizing floral lift of the Péléat. Cropped at an overall 30 hL/ha, the ripeness of the vintage is skillfully balanced by lifting freshness throughout all components. I can’t wait to taste the final result. (NG)
95
Wine Advocate
Review Date: 03/2025
The 2022 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave is broad and deep, bursting with aromas of smoke, licorice and dark wild berries mingled with delicate notes of fresh thyme and spices. Full-bodied, dense and powerful, layered and concentrated, it has a fleshy palate with a broad attack, racy mid-palate, velvety tannins and a mordant, somewhat firm finish. Remarkably, despite the sunny, dry conditions of the vintage, the wine does not exhibit an overtly warm character. This Hermitage stands out at this address as a particularly unique expression, rewarding those who are patient. (YC) 95+
