Domaine Jean-Louis Chave - St.-Joseph 2022 (750ml)
Price: $114.00
| Producer | Domaine Jean-Louis Chave |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Subregion | St. Joseph |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 10806 |
| Size | 750ml |
Decanter: 94 Points
A tasting of the four main parts (Les Challaix Le Clos La Dardouille and Bachasson) suggests that this will be a vintage that combines power ? black fruits and thick tannins from La Dardouille ? and more lifted fleshy fragrant low acid elements from Les Challaix plus Bachasson's rose and raspberry. A little richer and more velvety than a typical year. (Drink between 2023-2031)
Jeb Dunnuck: 92-94 Points
The 2022 Saint Joseph is classic Saint Joseph with its darker currant plum and cassis-driven fruits as well as incredible minerality. It's deep medium to full-bodied has lots of tannins the classic austerity of the appellation and a great finish. It's going to need some bottle age but you can easily put this up with the crème de la crème of the appellation. This iconic estate continues to hold the line on what constitutes a truly great Hermitage both red and white and there are few vinous treats better than a tasting with Jean-Louis Chave in his cellar in Mauve. Looking at the wines reviewed here the 2022s were tasted from barrel and this is a ripe sunny yet also tannic vintage that?s going to benefit from its élevage as well as require bottle age. They remind me slightly of Chave?s 1998 although as I say in the review I think there?s a touch more sun-kissed fruit in the 2022s. The 2021s are beautiful elegant seamless wines and you?ll be hard pressed to do better in the vintage. These aren?t massive wines but they have pretty complex and classic profiles that will drink well with just a few years of bottle age. On another level the 2020s are powerful massive wines that remind me slightly of the 2010s (or is it 2009s?). They have tons of baby fat and are already fun to taste but these are built for the long haul.
Vinous: 93 Points
The 2022 Saint-Joseph is medium-bodied and savory with delicate notes of red plum crushed violets licorice graphite and a hint of dried meat. Layers of black olive and white pepper add depth and complexity. Smooth tannins provide gentle structure leading to a persistent and elegant finish. - By Nicolas Greinacher on November 2024 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.
Wine Advocate: 92 Points
Notes of violet chocolate iris and flowers emerge from the 2022 Saint-Joseph a medium to full-bodied sweet and sappy wine with a concentrated structured palate framed by an assertive tannic frame culminating in a long introverted finish. It derives from vines planted on gneiss and granite soils. I began tasting with Jean-Louis Chave at 4 p.m. and wrapped up six hours later. It was one of the most captivating and enlightening tastings during my trip to Hermitage. Jean-Louis the latest in a long line of growers from a family that has made wine in Hermitage since 1481 is undoubtedly among the greatest vignerons in the world. Despite his towering reputation he is a modest man adhering to winemaking practices similar to those of his father which sparked one of our most intense discussions. A tireless thinker and a genius in viticulture Jean-Louis has been instrumental in revitalizing the Saint-Joseph hillsides. His acquisition of Clos Florentin in 2009 (one of Saint-Joseph?s emblematic properties previously owned by Docteur Florentin) has significantly propelled the quality of his Saint-Joseph wines. Jean-Louis is proud of his 2022 vintages particularly appreciating how well the vines adapted to a dry and exceptionally difficult year. Though dense the wines from this vintage exhibit the freshness and spontaneity that define their character. While I greatly respect Jean-Louis Chave I must mention that the presence of volatile phenols derived from Brettanomyces in his wines is a masking filter between the terroir and the wine itself. He maintains that this level of phenols is traditional consistent with the manner in which his predecessors crafted their wines. Published: Mar 13 2025
