Jean-Louis Chave 2005 Hermitage

The 2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage is a wine of profound character and distinction. Its appearance reveals a deep, alluring color that beckons with rich, ruby-red hues. On the nose, it captivates with a complex bouquet, boasting a harmonious fusion of aromas that includes dark berries, blackcurrants, and an essence of wild herbs. With each sip, the palate is treated to an extraordinary experience of flavors, where the wine's remarkable depth and concentration shine. The initial impression is one of supple elegance, followed by a crescendo of black fruit notes, licorice, and hints of smoky minerals. The finish is prolonged and memorable, marked by a delightful interplay of fruit, spice, and a subtle, savory earthiness. This Hermitage from 2005 stands as a testament to its pedigree, offering a remarkable journey for the senses that only the finest wines can provide.

Robert Parker - 97 Points

"Jean Louis Chave commented that 2005 was not a “friendly vintage” on release and compared it to 1998, 1995 and 1983 in style. His 2005 Hermitage is nevertheless an incredible wine that shines for its purity, focus and pure class. Offering up lots of granite-like minerality, crème de cassis, violets and graphite, this rich, full-bodied, gorgeously concentrated Hermitage has good acidity, building, ripe tannin and a fabulous finish. While I’d happily drink a glass today, it needs another 3-4 years of bottle age to hit prime time and will keep for two to three decades after that."

Antonio Galloni - 97+ Points

"Inky ruby. Hugely aromatic bouquet of red and dark berries, cherry, Asian spices, fresh flowers, minerals and cured meat; smells like a great grand cru from Vosne-Romanee but with a wilder side. Flat-out gorgeous wine, with remarkably deep but fresh red berry and cherry flavors that stain the palate. Seems to actually expand on the finish, picking up exotic spicecake and rose pastille character and leaving a sweet trail of smoky red fruits behind. "If you insist on drinking this young, do it now," says Chave, "because it will close up in about two or three years and not be open again for a long time." You've been warned."