2015 Domaine Jean Louis Chave, Hermitage, Rouge 1×1.5L

Robert Parker 97

The 2015 Hermitage is in bottle and it’s a profound, long-lived wine, although the 2017 may perhaps surpass it in terms of pure pleasure. The 2015 is a bit meaty and cedary up front, backed by a mix of berry fruit and spice variations. But what stands out is the wine’s immaculate structure and balance. It’s firm and tannic without being hard or unyielding, finishing with fold after fold of velvety richness. While the impatient can certainly derive some pleasure from it even now, I’d opt for cellaring it a decade or more. [Joe Czerwinski, 09/11/2018]

Anticipated maturity: 2028-2045

Vinous 96-98

As usual, tasted vineyard by vineyard from barrels. 1) from Les Beaume: Powerful, deep-pitched cherry, blueberry and violet character; intense mineral and spice overtones add vivacity. 2) from Meal: Densely packed but uncannily fresh and energetic, displaying sweet raspberry, cherry, spicecake and floral pastille qualities and a core of juicy acidity. 3) from Ermite: Superb depth of dark fruit and floral character; a core of minerality provides energetic lift and focus, giving an impression of energy, not weight. 4) from Bessards: Mineral and floral notes accent ripe blackberry and cherry, and a sexy Asian spice flourish lends an exotic touch and back-end cut. The final wine should be a knockout and I envision that it will come off as a hypothetical cross of Chave’s 2009 (power and heft) and 2010 (energy and structure). [Josh Raynolds, 01/04/2017]