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Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage Rouge, 1990

Red Wine from Northern Rhone, France
$1,599.00
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A 1990 Hermitage made by Gérard Chave, two years before he handed the domaine to his son Jean-Louis. That makes it a chance to taste this legendary house as the previous generation ran it. The family has been making wine since 1481, sixteen generations in all. During the phylloxera crisis they settled in Mauves, where the cellars still are, and in 1865 they bought their first parcels on the Hermitage hill. The Chaves are true believers in blending: they have never released a single-vineyard Hermitage, and the blend starts over every year. The steep granite of Bessards is always the backbone, Méal adds flesh from its alluvial soils, and L'Hermite's granite and loess add lift. The house approach is traditional: low yields, full ripeness, minimal oak and no filtering. A thirty-plus-year-old Chave is a special-occasion bottle in the truest sense, so stand it upright ahead of time, decant it gently and give it your full attention.

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Antonio Galloni

96 points

"The 1990 Hermitage has more richness and density, but it is also just a bit bretty. A whole range of sage, rose petal, licorice and lavender notes emerge over time. This isn’t the very best bottle of the 1990 I have ever had, but it is a fine example just the same. Like the 1989, the 1990 is peaking. It will likely hold on for a few more years, maybe more, but it won’t get any better than it is right now." —Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker

96 points

"Tasted at Christies’ “Kings of the Rhone” tasting in London. The nose on this bottle is more subdued than I remember. Dark broody wild strawberry, raspberry and a touch of liquorice, white pepper sprinkled on top but it does not sprint out of the block. The palate is powerful and supple on the entry, fresh and succulent with great concentration." —Neal Martin

Jancis Robinson

17 points

"Healthy transparent ruby with a pale rim. Initially rather stodgier and less ethereal on the nose than the Chapoutier 1990 and 1991 Monier de la Sizeranne. Still quite dry and savoury with more tannin in evidence than in the Chapoutiers. Quite marked tannin still and not that much aroma yet, though this may build in the decanter. No sediment!"

Wine Spectator

98 points

"This still very rich and alluring, with a core of dark roasted plum, black currant and blackberry fruit that still has an unctuous feel. There are additional floral and black tea notes, flashes of bergamot and clove, and a lingering tarry edge that supports the finish. Still throws a long shadow."

More about Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

The Chave family has been making wine since 1481—we're talking 16 generations of Hermitage mastery. Jean-Louis oversees 14.5 hectares of Syrah and white varieties, and his methods are uncompromisingly traditional: low yields, full ripeness, minimal oak, no filtering. These are Hermitages that taste like they've existed forever.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Syrah

  • Vintage

    1990

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Earthy

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

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Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, venison loin with a juniper and red wine reduction, a standing rib roast with its own jus, or wild mushroom risotto finished with truffle. Keep the sauces restrained and let the older wine lead.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Hermitage profile: blackberry, black cherry and violet, with smoky, peppery, savoury meat notes over a granite-driven minerality. Typically full-bodied, with firm, fine tannins and fresh acidity, while minimal oak keeps the fruit and the site at the centre. With long bottle age it tends toward leather, earth and dried herbs, finishing long and dry.

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