Jean-Louis Chave : Hermitage Domaine 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes for Jean-Louis Chave's Hermitage Domaine 2023

Tasting notes

Appearance
The colour reveals a deep, dense garnet hue, edged with violet reflections and a beautiful brilliance.

Nose
The nose displays remarkable aromatic purity, combining ripe black fruit aromas such as blackcurrant and cherry with floral notes of violet. This is underpinned by spicy touches, a hint of leather and a pronounced minerality reminiscent of graphite.

Palate
On the palate, the attack is broad and velvety, carried by smooth, well-integrated tannins that lend a supple texture. A lovely mineral tension balances this roundness, extending the pleasure into a persistent finish with fruity and spicy nuances.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine pairs perfectly with roasted or grilled meats, such as a herb-crusted rack of lamb or a matured rib of beef. It also goes wonderfully with slow-cooked dishes, delicate game and contemporary recipes featuring root vegetables or sweet-and-savoury touches.

Serving and cellaring

This Hermitage Domaine 2023 is already quite approachable in its youth. It can be enjoyed from its early years onwards, but will continue to evolve favourably, drinking well until at least 2053.

An elegant, mineral expression of the Rhône Valley

The estate

The family's winemaking history began in 1481. Located in Mauves, at the heart of the Rhône Valley, the Jean-Louis Chave estate embodies an unbroken tradition passed down from father to son. Today, Jean-Louis Chave, representing the sixteenth generation, is the current owner and head of this institution. Renowned for his exacting standards and deep respect for terroir, the estate is distinguished by its meticulous blends and organic viticulture. It produces cuvées of remarkable complexity, placing the estate among the elite of the wine world.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the famous Hermitage hill, characterised by steep slopes and a mosaic of microclimates. The vines, averaging fifty years of age and sometimes over eighty years old, thrive on varied soils ranging from poor granite to sandier terrain. The estate practises organic viticulture here, without chemical fertilisers, favouring manual work and the preservation of biodiversity to maintain the vitality of the soils.

The vintage

The year 2023 stands out for its generous ripeness, offering relatively low acidity and softened tannins. Described as a gentle vintage, this growing cycle delivered optimal yields and perfectly ripe grapes, giving rise to round, smooth wines with lovely approachability.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest is entirely done by hand to ensure rigorous sorting. After destemming, fermentation takes place in open vats with punching down by foot. The wine is then aged for 15 to 18 months in barrels and large oak foudres, with a very limited proportion of new wood to preserve the purity of the fruit. The final blend brings together the different lieux-dits before bottling.

Grape variety

100% Syrah.