- Out-of-Stock
Hermitage white 2003 - Jean-Louis Chave
Hermitage - Jean-Louis Chave
99/100 Parker
Cellaring: 2015 - 2053
By Jeb Dunnuck in 2015: "Another sensational white that made my eyes roll back in my head, the 2003 Hermitage Blanc is even more outsized and decadent than the '09. Possessing almost no acidity, it's a flamboyant, massively concentrated, decadent and heady effort that overflows with notions of honey, caramelized oranges, currants, licorice and buttered nuts. While remaining fresh and lively, this is a monumental Hermitage Blanc that will likely live forever thanks to its sheer concentration."
For JL Chave's white wine, the grapes are vinified in a combination of 33% French oak barrels and 67% stainless steel vats. The Chave Hermitage Blanc blend is almost always 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne.
After fermentation, the wine is racked from its fine lees. The wines are then matured in a combination of new and used French oak barrels, with a small proportion also matured in stainless steel vats for 18 months before bottling. For the JL Chave Hermitage Blanc, production averages around 1,250 cases per year.
Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted with Syrah and are used to produce 2 Hermitage Rouge wines, JL Chave Hermitage and Chave Cuvee Cathelin. The vines are old, with an average age of 50 years, give or take a few years. The remaining 4 hectares of vines are planted with 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The vines for their white Rhône wine are even older than those for their red wine, being mostly over 60 years old. The key to the beauty and complexity of JL Chave Hermitage comes from their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used is Syrah, the wine is made from a blend of fruit sources that come from some of the best parcels in the entire Hermitage appellation.
Data sheet
| Note | More than 97 |
|---|---|
| PR rating | 99/100 |
| Note WS | 97/100 |
| Recoverable VAT | No |
| Colour | Dry white |
| Format | Bottle (75cl) |
| Vintage | 2003 |
| Volume | 12,50 % vol - 75 cl |
| Appellation | Hermitage |
| Level | Perfect |
| Label | Perfect |
| Region | Rhône |
| Maturity | Mature wines |
| Areas of Rhône | Jean-Louis Chave |
Red
Dry white
Sweet
Sparkling
Sparkling rosé
Red
Dry White
Red
Dry White
Red
Dry White
Sweet
Red
Dry white
Sweet
Rosé
Sparkling
