Showing posts with label 100 Point Wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 100 Point Wine. Show all posts

Friday, January 6, 2023

Celebration Dinner features top rated Reds

Celebration Dinner features top rated Reds

Celebrating closing out a major business transaction that leads to a new chapter in my career, we were invited to a gala dinner at fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan's and Linda's. They laid out an extensive selection of artisan cheeses and charcuterie featuring a full shank of cured ham. 

This Covap Jamon Iberico Bellota Ham Leg is produced in The Valle de los Pedroches, located in northern Cordoba in Southern Spain.  The valley has the largest extension of centuries old oak trees in the world, and more than 750,000 acres of continuous pasture-lands.  The unique setting provides acorns that are feed for 100% Iberico Breed pigs raised there where they graze with 2 ½ acres per pig. The vegetarian diet of the Iberico Breed pigs based on acorn and grass from the pastures contribute to the distinctive product. The processed ham is aged for a minimum of 3 years in aging cellars that is key to the curing process.

Starting dinner was a chopped dinner salad and a delicious roasted red pepper tomato basil soup. 

For dinner they prepared pork chops stuffed with a chanterelle mushroom dressing, haricot verts and butter whipped potatoes. 

Dan pulled from the cellar a pair of top ranked vintage champagnes from which I selected one. 

Dan then pulled out a Champagne sword with which to strike neck of the bottle to open for serving. I admit I've never done this before and wasn't sure how its done. 

Dan prepped the bottle by cooling the neck stiffening the cork and surrounding glass rim. Then following the seam in the glass of the bottle, he instructed me to strike the lip of the rim of the bottle, which cleanly broke off, taking the cork with it and cleanly disgorging the Champagne. 

 

Tattinger Domaine Chandon Blanc de Blanc Methode Traditional Carneros Vintage 2012 

This is a méthode traditionelle sparkling wine from Domaine Carneros in Napa Valley, the best known high profile estate and grower-producer of what most folks would think of as champagne. However, only sparkling wine produced in that legendary well known French region and appellation can truly, or legally be called or attributed to Champagne. Even though the estate vineyards and beautiful French Château are owned by famed Champagne house, owner producer Taittinger, its sparkling wine produced in the authentic méthode traditionelle is sparkling wine.

Founded by the noble family behind Champagne Taittinger, Domaine Carneros was established in 1987 when Claude Taittinger selected the 138-acre parcel in the heart of the Carneros wine production appellation at the very bottom of Napa Valley where the Mayacamas Range that separates Napa from Sonoma Valleys foothills meet the bottomlands of San Pablo Bay. The Domaine Carneros Château is a stunning landmark on the highway between Napa and Sonoma.

For years, the Domaine Carneros winemaker was Eileen Crane, often referred to as America's doyenne of Sparkling Wine who oversaw the development of the Taittinger style in Carneros. In 2020, after 33 years, Crane passed the torch to a new CEO, Remi Cohen, who carries on the Taittinger tradition.

Domaine Carneros has always faithfully produced méthode traditionelle sparkling wines in the distinctive style across a portfolio that ranges from classic non-vintage and vintage-dated Brut cuvee to this ultra-premium luxury vintage label and their flagship Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs. 

Only the premier sparkling wines are vintage specific productions, crafted from the finest grapes in good vintage years. All others are NV or non-vintage blends.

All Domaine Carneros wines are estate labels, 100% sourced from their six estate vineyards comprising 400 acres in the Carneros appellation.

The 2012 Domaine Carneros Blanc de Blancs is a blend of 36% Pinot Gris and 64% Chardonnay.

Light gold colored, light medium bodied, complex fruit flavors of green apple, nectarine and lemon citrus with notes of stone and brioche and a bit of tartness with lingering moderate acidity.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2587947

https://www.domainecarneros.com/

https://twitter.com/domainecarneros 

Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Wine 2010 

This is kind of become one of Dan's signature wines, being one of the hallmark ultra premium labels in his cellar collection dating back a couple decades. 

This is the American label of legendary Christian Mouiex, producer of Chateau Petrus, arguably one of the most storied labels in the world. 

We lasted tasted this wine back in 2014 when I wrote, "While this got a 100 point rating from Robert Parker, the most noted major reviewers, like so many Dominus releases, it may take a decade or more for it to reveal its full potential."

"While clearly a spectacular wine, at this young age, its a bit closed and tight suppressing its fruits and other nuances."

The legendary label release was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 99 points by James Suckling, 98 points, Vinous, and 96 points by Decanter.

My view of so many of these extraordinarily highly rated wines, its not that they stand out as being so spectacular, rather, they're notably in their lack of negatives. In other words, they're flawless, lacking any detracting traits. Like a flawless diamond, this stands out as having no negatives, as opposed to highlighting particular positives! 

In its 98 point review, back in 2015, Vinous wrote, "Dominus is a powerhouse that will require a number of years to soften. A wine of baritone-like depth and explosive structure, the Dominus is a long-distance runner. The firm tannins beg for patience. Today, my impression is that Dominus will be one of the last 2010s to open up." 

Eight years later, it is just starting to open up and settled to lose that closed and tight status to reveal its true character and perhaps full potential.

Blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, firm, dense, concentrated and complex yet polished and elegant with layers of black fruits, black tea, graphite, creosote and anise with hints cedar of spice and dark chocolate with smooth polished nicely integrated tannins on the finish.

RM 95 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1374630

Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Wine 1986  

Knowing Dan is a huge fan and long-time collector of Dominus, I pulled from our cellar this aged vintage release of the label from 1986. This is from the early years when, from 1983 to 1991, each label release featured a pencil sketch, chalk or water color like painting character portrait of the legendary winemaker producers. I show the Dominus library of these early artist series labels that became collectors' labels for many, on my wine label library pages.

https://mcnees.org/winesite/labels/label_library_pages/california_label_lib_pages/label_library_california_d.htm#Dominus_Estate

I purchased a OWC - original wood case, of this wine back on release around 1988. Every couple of years I opened a bottle to taste and monitor how it was aging. For at least a decade, over the course of half of the case, I found it a bit tight and closed. Then, after about fifteen years, on about the eight bottle it started to open to reveal its character and potential. Alas, that was what Dominus tasted like, but, unfortunately, at this stage, we drank half of the case too early or too soon. Now, at thirty-five years, perhaps we held on to the last few remaining bottles too long. 

Back in 1996, at ten years, in a 1986 horizontal comparison tasting, Robert Parker wrote about this label, "One of the richest, densest, most concentrated offerings in the entire tasting, it also proved to be one of the best-balanced, with better integration of acidity and tannin than many 1986s exhibited, this large-scaled, concentrated wine appears to have aged at a glacial pace since I first tasted it."

At that time, Wine Spectator wrote, "Starts out earthy and leathery, in a rugged style, but works its way into more complex mineral, currant and cedar flavors and finishes with a cedary, earthy note and a good dose of currant flavor."

It's always a tell-tale sign of a wines' challenging approach-ability when it's predominant flavor profile is non-fruit flavors, overshadowing the berry fruits. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this release 93 points, Jancis Robinson gave it 17.5 on her 20 point scale. 

At thirty-five years, this was definitely past its prime, approaching the end of its drinking window, garnet colored with a slight rust hue setting in, the dark currant and berry fruits overshadowed by that 'rugged style' with earthy leather, mineral and cedar flavors on the slightly tart finish. 

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1424

Interesting and notable is that this label bears Cellartracker number 1424, one of the earliest bottles to be registered in that vast database that now numbers in the millions. 

See earlier post -
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/11/mouton-dominus-insignia-highlight-big_17.html

https://www.dominusestate.com/

Dan also presented two ultra-premium labels big reds, Joseph Phelps Insignia 2007 and a Château Léoville Las Case 2016. In retrospect, I should've opted for the older vintage, and the Napa wine, which would've been more approachable, most likely in its prime. 

I selected the Las Cases, which no doubt has decades of life in front of it, having obtained this at auction and shared part of the case with Dan, thus eager to try this holding. I admit I was influenced by our visit and private tour and tasting at the Chateau, a highlight of our visit St Julien in 2018. Of course, Joseph Phelps was a highlight of our Napa Wine Experience and private tour tasting, with Dan, back in 2017.

See earlier post -
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/joseph-phelps-napa-valley-winery-tasting.html

Château Léoville Las Cases St Julien Bordeaux 2016

As I mentioned, our visit and private tour and tasting at the Château Léoville Las Cases  was a highlight of our visit St Julien in 2018. We served this wine from daughter Erin's birthyear vintage from large format Jeroboam bottles at her wedding back in 2006, and son Sean's birthyear vintage from large format magnums at his wedding in 2018. 

Our Cellartracker records show we still hold a decade of vintages of this long last label dating back three and a half decades, still holding bottles from the kid's birthyears '81, '82, '85 and 1990, several in large format. 

CT'er reviews of Las Cases 2016 - 

Our experience this night was perfectly reflected in a September review by fellow Cellertracker who wrote - "Knowing it would be too young, I couldn't resist opening a bottle. With about two hours decanting it was not a disappointment. Yes way too young given what it promises, but most definitely approachable and if you have a few, worth opening one now. Quite acidic, but I'm sure this will soften. Elegant and concentrated. Closed but enough flavour there to enjoy. Despite its very dark colour, it has a core of tangy/ripe red fruit that has a lovely freshness and purity. First growth quality at a fraction of the price. I think this will be stunning when it is ready. 97 points"

Another CT'er, wrote: "Out of this world; a truly great Bordeaux. Vertical, chalky, powerful as a tight fist with a concentrated, yet so relaxed fruit. Too young? Of course it is, still you can drink this, if you like, it's world class." 98 points.

What drew me to open this label was written up by fellow CT'er who tasted it on the same date as our tasting and wrote, "Probably the best Leoville Las Cases ever. Decanted 3 hours. I was surprised by its readiness, despite it will improve for sure over time. Very complex wine with blue/black fruits prevailing over red." 100 points.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied, impeccably polished and elegant, flawless (there's that word again, as above), concentrated but nicely integrated dark berry fruits with subtle notes of cassis, graphite, black tea and dark chocolate with smooth polished tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 96 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2594471

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/08/leoville-du-marquis-de-las-cases.html

https://www.domaines-delon.com/

https://twitter.com/DomainesDelon


Thursday, August 6, 2020

Big Red Flight highlights grilled steak dinner

Big Red Bordeaux Blend Flight highlights grilled steak dinner

We visited fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan and Linda and they served a wonderful dinner of grilled steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus, cheese stuffed peppers and portabello mushrooms. Dan served a spectacular flight of red wines to accompany the dinner including two Bordeaux and a Sonoma Bordeaux Blend.

Continuing our tastings of Bordeaux wines on the anniversary of our trip there a year ago this week, we started the red flight with a St Emilion Château Troplong Mondot, followed by Château Lascombs Margaux, and closing out with Les Pavots from Peter Michael.

Before dinner with a selection of artisan cheeses, olives, nuts and tapenade, I took an Andretti Montonta Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay. One of the standout cheeses was a English Shropshire Blue Cheddar.

Château Troplong Mondot Grand Cru Classe' St Emilion Bordeaux 2005

What a treat to experience this vintage release that was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

The 2005 Troplong Mondot is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

There was irony in drinking this amidst the Coronavirus pandemic as years earlier Robert Parker had written in his review/notes: "It was emotional tasting this wine, thinking of the late Christine Valette, who made this compelling wine while battling with considerable courage against an insidious disease. It is a great effort and a superstar of the vintage. ... it is a tour de force, and a great tribute to an incredible woman. Kudos to the late Christine Valette!"

Vinous rated this 98 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and Wine Spectator both gave it 96 points.

Dense dark garnet inky purple colored, full-bodied, powerful aromatics explode from the bottle upon releasing the cork, complex yet elegant and smooth, rich intense flavors of blackberry and black raspberry with layers of cassis, mocha, spice and notes of tobacco, a hint of truffle and some subtle background oak with silky smooth tannins on the long polished finish.

RM 96 points.



@Troplong_Mondot


Château Lascombes Grand Cru Classe' Margaux Bordeaux 2010

This release was awarded 94 points by James Suckling, 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast, and 91 points by Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and Connoisser's Guide. 

This was a special treat to taste this label as a year ago this week in our trip to the Medoc, we stayed in Chambres de Marguax, literally across the lane from Château Lascombes. We walked around the property almost daily in a strolls around the commune or enroute to or from dinner in the village.

At ten years of age, this was a bit tight and closed, perhaps going through a period in this stage, deep dark garnet in color, medium to full-bodied, blackcurrant and blackberry fruits with notes of black tea, fresh herbs, and black olives with hints of clove spice, cedar and licorice, turning to chewy tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

 

https://twitter.com/lascombes_


Peter Michael Les Pavots Knights Valley Bordeaux Blend 2012

Peter Michael produces one of the premiere ultra-premium Bordeaux Blends from Napa Sonoma. This is the flagship wine of the Peter Michael portfolio that is highly allocated directly from the winery with occasional limited quantities in distribution. 

Peter Michael is a huge and regretable lost opportunity for me as I spent fifteen years as a senior executive with an international company headquartered in Peter Michael's home town in Newbury, Berkshire, England. Peter Michael today owns hotels, resorts, golf club and restaurants in the town. I was ten years ahead of all of this development and missed potential engagement during my almost two hundred trips to the area. I regret not getting to meet and know Peter in those early years.  His wine operations started about the time I left that position and relationship just before the turn of the century.

Les Pavots is
sourced primarily from the vineyard
of the same name on the slopes of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley in Sonoma County. The vineyard spans 49 acres ascending to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet with Merlot and Cabernet Franc Bordeaux varietals growing on the cool upper slopes and Cabernet Sauvignon just below.

The blend of Bordeaux varietals is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.

This release was awarded 96-98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate,  97 points by James Suckling and 95 points by Wine Spectator.

Winemaker notes for this vintage: "Deep dark color with saturated ruby color and vermillion nuance, 2012 Les Pavots reveals a deep bouquet of Cacao powder, fudge cookies, black cherry, blueberry and blackberry, licorice, with nuances of cedar, cigar box, black tea, graphite, vanilla, a stylish ‘garrigue’ touch and black truffle. Extremely full-bodied, the wine offers the same rich, ripe fruit impressions on the palate. The mouth feel is dense and round, with elegant tannins, which lead to a long finish. Complex, the 2012 Les Pavots will age gracefully for two decades and provides a classic presentation of our estate’s terroir."

Dark inky/purple-colored, big bold, full-bodied, complex, rich, ripe dense round dark black cherry, black berry brambley fruits with nuances of spice, cedar, cigar box, black tea with hints of licorice, graphite and black truffle turning to bold tangy tannins on a long finish.

RM 94 points.



Andretti Montonta Reserve Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2014
 
 
The Montona series is the premium Reserve brand available at the winery and to Club members. It is named for the Croatian village, birthplace of Andretti. 
 
We have fun with this brand with Dr Dan, a fellow Hoosier and Indy 500 Race enthusiast, supporting legendary driver and car/team owner Mario Andretti.
 
This was suprisingly good, better than expected. 
 
The golden honey color has a slight rust hue that was initially disarming but the wine was fine, medium bodied, nicely balanced and polished with integrated bright expressive notes of peach, apricot and citrus fruits with notes of vanilla and soft oak on the sinewy finish. 

RM 91 points. 

 
 
@AndrettiWine 




Saturday, December 14, 2019

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage and Montes Folly Syrah


Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage and Montes Folly Syrahs

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Syrah 2009

Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and making wine in what we now know as the St. Joseph appellation.
They stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage Blanc wine.
Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to 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 hectare of vines are planted to 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the Frey family who own Jaboulet and Michel Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.
Jl Chave Hermitage Blanc2 300x259 Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rhone Wine, Complete Guide
The key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.
The vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal, Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However, the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite, Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of the oldest white wine grapes in the Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.
Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since 1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3 wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats, stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per vintage.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/
Showing much better than when last tasted a few years ago. The wine is intense, powerful, concentrated, vibrant and fresh, with load of sweet, slightly honeyed lemon, grapefruit, flowers and stone notes. Luscious in texture, the wine leaves a long impression of fruit and freshness.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/
Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and making wine in what we now know as the St. Joseph appellation.
They stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage Blanc wine.
Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to 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 hectare of vines are planted to 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. The grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the Frey family who own Jaboulet and Michel Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.
Jl Chave Hermitage Blanc2 300x259 Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rhone Wine, Complete Guide
The key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.
The vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal, Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However, the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite, Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of the oldest white wine grapes in the Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.
Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since 1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3 wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats, stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per vintage.

Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/
Fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan was going to serve this late one night after we'd had four or five other bottles at a wine dinner. I suggested we hold it for when it could be the centerpiece of a tasting, being a 100 point wine that it is. So, we took this and another complementary Syrah to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria for a festive holiday season Saturday night dinner. Yes, this release was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points by Wine Spectator, and 96 points by Vinous. 

Not often do we 'normal' folks get the pleasure to drink a 100 point wine. As I've written in this column about collecting and tasting, there are 'every day' wines, 'once-a-week', 'once-a-month', and 'once-a-year' wines, and then, of course, 'special occasion' and 'once-in-a-lifetime' wines. At this rating, it drives a ultra-super premium ($500+) price-point, such that for all but the very privileged few, this is in the latter rather than former categories.  

This is also exceptionally extraordinary because it is a SYRAH. More often, 100 point wines tend to be Bordeaux or Burgundian varietals or blends, or perhaps vintage Ports. Very few wines of the Syrah varietal have received 100 point recognition, Penfold's Grange, arguably the top wine of Australia, and this being the only two I've seen or had the privilege of tasting. 

Moreover, I admit, I am not accustomed to such lofty profiles or character for a single varietal wine based on Syrah. While we drink a lot of this varietal and it is one of our favorites, the profile is not the norm to which we are accustomed. 

We recently had a similar experienced the 'other' such wine, Penfold's Grange from the 1990 vintage. Tonight's experience was much the same. 

We are used to, and love, big, bold, forward, fruit forward, expressive, thick, concentrated style wines, rare, but found once in a while in Syrahs. Such wines, tend to me more one dimensional, and frankly 'over-the'top' to be considered for such rarified accolades, more afforded wines that are elegant, polished, symphonic in their perfectly balanced and harmonious presentation. 

Like the Grange we drank recently, the word I would use to describe this is 'flawless'. 

The Chave was dark blackish/purple colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, seamless, perfectly balanced and harmonious blackberry and black currant fruits highlighted with subtle tones of anise, smoke and hints of exotic spices and pepper.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1077097

On this evening we also opened a rare special bottling of this Chilean Syrah. 

Montes Syrah Folly La Finca de Apalta 2010

Montes Folly has been cited as the best Syrah in Chile It is the first ultra-premium Syrah to be sourced from Chile. The grapes for this Montes Folly grow on the steepest hillsides of the Finca de Apalta vineyards in Apalta, Colchagua, Chile, where the vines have adapted best and have found good balance between yields and vegetative expression.

The terroir driven soils are of granitic origin and primarily consist of decomposing rocks from high above in the chain of mountains that crosses the valley, and therefore the soils in this sector are rather thin and poor in organic matter with a good percolation capacity, which enables the roots to explore the entire profile in search of water.

The grapes are hand-selected and sorted on special selection sorting tables. The vinified wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months.

The 2016 release of this label was awarded 96 points by James Suckling.

Not in the class of the 'old world' Northern Rhone Hermitage Chave, this 'new world' or emerging market Syrah represents the art of the possible of what is coming from the emerging wine producing regions and nascent producers.

More new world style like a big Australian Syrah with its complex concentrated forward fruits, almost obtuse when compared to the Chave, dark inky purple with blackberry and black raspberry fruits highlighted by notes of spice, cassis, currants, mocha and hints of black olive.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1479344

https://www.monteswines.com/en/