Description
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck
As good as Hermitage can get, the 2015 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave reminds me of a hypothetical mix of the 2010 and 1990 with its incredible purity, finesse, and elegant paired with awesome depth and structure. This heavenly wine exhibits a deep purple color as well as a powerful bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberries, dried violets, graphite, and crushed rocks, with a liquid mineral component that’s just about impossible to find outside of the Bessards lieu-dit in Hermitage. Full-bodied and massively concentrated on the palate, yet with laser-like precision and clarity, it needs a solid decade of cellaring and will keep for 40+ years or more. It’s not as sexy or overt as the Cuvee Cathelin, but is every bit as good.
99 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Expansive black/blue fruit, licorice, violet, espresso and exotic spice scents pick up a smoky mineral quality as the wine opens up. Offers bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that are lifted by a core of juicy acidity. A Moroccan spice note appears on the back half. The strikingly long, sweet finish displays youthful tannic grip and lingering suggestions of licorice and candied flowers.