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Noncontractual photograph
Vintage | Wine 2002 |
Region | Rhône |
Appellation | Hermitage Rouge |
Colour | Red |
Volume | 0.75 l |
Country | France |
Château | Domaine Jean-Louis Chave |
Country | France |
The Jean Louis Chave estate is the jewel of a centuries-old family. Jean Louis Chave is the sixth generation of winemakers from this estate. The estate is renowned for its very high quality Hermitage wines.
Located in the north of the Rhône region, the estate includes a 10 hectare vineyard for the production of its red wines; including a plot of very old Les Roucoules vines, another 80-year-old Les Bessards, relatively young vines at Ermite, extremely old at Péléat and Beaumes, and 50-year-old vines at Méal. Each of these vineyards produces a wine with slightly different aroma, texture and flavor palettes, but the "sum of the parts" is far more interesting than each cuvée taken individually.
The red Hermitage of the Chave estate becomes dazzling after several years of aging. Full and concentrated, magnificently complex and racy, it develops a wide range of aromas ranging from blackcurrant to smoke, including notes of prune and spices. The white, from the Jean Louis Chave estate, develops creamy and honeyed aromas of hazelnut, peach and apricot, of a rare smoothness, has an aging potential of several decades. These Hermitages impose themselves, by their freshness, their balance, their delicacy, and their length, clearly above all the others.
CHÂTEAU LARRIVET HAUT BRION 2002
Pessac Leognan
Margaux
CHÂTEAU LA MONDOTTE Magnum 2002
Saint Emilion
Margaux
Champagne
CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD 2002
Pauillac
Richebourg
Saint Estèphe
Saint Julien
Côte Rotie
One of the candidates for the Rhone Valley’s “wine of the vintage” is Chave’s 2002 Hermitage. A draconian selection has resulted in a deep rubypurple-colored offering revealing sweet notes of melted licorice, briery berries, earth, and herbs. Medium to full-bodied, pure, elegant, and intense, this forward-styled Hermitage appears to be better than the 1992, 1993, and 1994, which are all fine wines that are holding up well. The 2002 should be at its peak between 2005-2015. What Chave accomplished in the extremely challenging 2002 vintage is unquestionably noteworthy. Not because of tiny yields and small grapes, but due to Chave’s decision to eliminate every grape except the very best, 2002 is a small crop.
Alluring aromas of fig, cocoa and dried currant give way to a slightly firm but admirably ripe palate of black fruits, mineral, toast and game. Structured but fine-grained finish. A terrific effort in this difficult vintage.