Description
The Chaves have been growing vines on the famous Hermitage hill for over 500 years. The domaine produces a red St Joseph ‘Offerus’ (made in equal proportions from senior vines in Mauves and St –Jean-de Muzols), an acclaimed Vin de Paille, but their reputation is built on their superb red Hermitage (Syrah with the addtion of 15% white grapes) and white Hermitage (85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne). The Chaves own 15 hectares of vines on the Hermitage and crucially their Hermitage holding is spread across 9 of the 18 climates on the hill. The grapes are partially de-stemmed and then fermented in a combination of open wooden vats and cement cuves. The wine is matured in a combination of large wooden foudres and small wooden casks (a proportion of which will be new) for 12-18 months. All Chave wines are bottled unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
Light brilliant yellow. An intensely perfumed, powerful bouquet evokes fresh pear, peach nectar, anise, iodine and candied ginger, and a smoky mineral quality builds steadily in the glass. Sappy, seamless and incisive on the palate, offering intense orchard and pit fruit and honeysuckle flavors that are lifted and braced by a core of dusty minerality and a bitter jolt of orange pith. Clings with superb tenacity on the mineral-driven finish, leaving sexy floral and ripe citrus fruit notes behind. [97 Points, Josh Raynolds – February 2018, vinous.com]
