Agree partially, but even the St.Joseph/Chave needs a few years to come around… 2011 is very good now, 2012 soon will be …
nevertheless it´s a clear level below most Cote-Roties …
FOR ME the art of wine-drinking is to catch a wine in the perfect spot …
yesterday I opened Cotes-du Rhone Charvin 2003 - simply perfectly mature and a revelation to drink, balanced, smooth, mouthfilling - all you want from a 7.50 € bottle after 17 years … worth easily 90 poits (no, not as complex as a fine Hermitage or Cote-Rotie, nor as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but simply a great and very satisfying drink.
YES, for me it was better than some years ago, a time when most bottles had already been drunk …
Apologies for sounding like a noob, I meant Chave Hermitage. I bought two 6 packs of each because of the esteemed pedigree of the producer, sites and great vintages. 2015 is supposed to be a bigger, riper vintage if i’m not mistaken while the 2016 is the opposite in terms of style, yet still a good vintage. I wanted to see how the two wines evolved over the course of the next couple decades. I also picked up a 6 pack and a half of the 2017 Jaboulet La Chapelle. I might pop one of these open in the near future since I have more of these than the Chave Hermitage. Tbh the Guigal Lala’s seemed more interesting to me but I just couldn’t swallow the price point for the 2015’s and Hermitage had a cooler story.
Guigal wines have LOT more oak. If that appeals to you, then something to consider. It does not to me. Find a Faury St Joseph (not the VV), and try that as an affordable introduction to N. Rhone. It’s a pretty pure wine, a little warmer in style, will be a good transition for someone used to drinking central coast wines. And also find a Chave St Joseph, they aren’t crazy expensive. 2017 should be available, and a forward, drinkable vintage right now. Even Chave’s Crozes Hermitage Silene is a nice introduction.
If you bought the Chave Hermitage 2015 and 2016 at good prices (looks like it as you could not stomach Guigal Lala prices), then you are totally safe with your purchase. After 20 years and you open the Chave and you don’t like it, I am pretty sure that you will make you money back plus lots of interest if you sell it. I just opened a 2004 Chave Hermitage last week for my BDay, and it was absolutely lovely. 2004 is considered a “weak” vintage and this wine could still have used 2-3 years sideways, but it was delicious and complex already. My only suggestion is that you should be patient, I had the 2004 about 4-5 years ago with friends, but the one I opened last week was much better. I also opened the 2001 in that same occasion 4-5 ago and I regretted it, it was closed most of the time and did not give up much.
2015 and 2016 being VERY strong vintages will most likely require a lot of patience.
Parker described the 1990 as massive, and of course rated it 99 points. It’s extremely good, though I think the real sweet spot for Chave is dialed back just a bit like the 1989. I love them all, though.
Once it hit $200 plus I stopped buying. I would rather put my money into golf and other interests. My golf membership for my son and I is $2000 at a great course in MN. Would rather do that than have 8 bottles of Chave.
