Photo courtesy of Grand Cru Selections
Chave Hermitage & St. Joseph
A Vintage You Don’t Want to Miss
No matter the vintage - no matter how great or how difficult the vintage may be - if there was only one winemaker whose wines I could buy it would be Jean-Louis Chave.
Jean-Louis Chave is, without question, one of the greatest winemakers of the past fifty years. His wines and skills have been lauded by every wine publication, retailer and restaurant there is. The Chave wines from Jean-Louis Chave are legendary for one reason - they are always very good!
Meticulous, talented, gifted and god-like are just some of the descriptors used to describe Jean-Louis Chave by some of the most influential and important wine personalities during my twenty-seven year career. In short, there may never be any other vigneron that is so deeply entrenched in their vineyards and wines as Jean-Louis Chave. It is not just the benchmark Hermitage we are referring to but the level of dedication and attention paid to the most entry level of wines for Chave is of such massive detail and importance.
There is no better winemaker to support in a challenging vintage as that support in the wines has always been exceptionally rewarding drinking experiences. If you look back and think about it, Jean-Louis Chave has this innate ability to produce wines that transcend a vintage. Chave excelled in vintages such as 2020, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, and even 1992 his first vintage.
One of my all-time favorite vintages for Chave Hermitage Rouge is 1997. A wine that has consistently delivered a refined and complex aromatic and structure that continues to drink beautifully today.
I stress this point as many of you are sure to read a report from some wine publication on the trials and tribulations of the Northern-Rhone 2021 vintage and that you will have to be very selective. Well, it is simple, by being very selective there is one producer in Hermitage and St. Joseph to keep in the cellar at all times and every vintage. You guessed it: Jean-Louis Chave!
Jean-Louis Chave has once again produced the benchmark examples of Hermitage and St. Joseph for the 2021 vintage. The 2021s are classic Chave. Balanced and harmonious wines with depth of fruit, earth, personality and character. Built with a solid framework of structure, the wines are fresh, vibrant and complex with precision integrated veins of acidity that will allow these beauties to join the pantheon of age worthy beauties from Chave.
These are not wines to miss but rather wines to collect and cellar for years to come. It is a set of wines that are destined to be collector’s trophies in years to come.
Cheers,
Jeremy | 
