I’ve had good Chaves over the years, but I confess I’ve had few that sent me. At a big vertical tasting here in NYC ten years ago with Gerard and Jean-Louis, the whites outshone the reds, to my palate.
But I have to say this was a treat, shared with Keith and Tamar Levenberg and Mark and Karrie Russo’s last night at Mark and Karrie’s, with spaghetti and meatballs and eggplant parmigiano:
1991 Chave Hermitage
Double-decanted an hour ahead. One of the most powerful noses of any wine in my recent memory: Absolutely classic Northern Rhone syrah bursting --nay! spewing – out of the glass, with a bit of reduction and, later, a trace of something pleasantly vegetal. In the mouth, this is at its moment: There is ample fruit, but the tannins are largely resolved, and it is seamless and elegant. Elegant – that really is the word; even feminine. Not muscular like a good La Chapelle. The acidity that is the signature of Chave’s wines is showing, so I’ll probably open my other bottles of this before too long. But what a pleasure now. 93++
Amazingly, Garnet had a batch of this for $30 in 1994. How stupid I only bought four bottles!
Exactly right, John. This wine is and always has been about elegance and balance. By no means a blockbuster, but just so right. Love it.
Btw, when I worked at Garnet in the late '90’s I remember us having magnums of the '91 in the cold room for $99.99 and I was too stupid not to buy any.
My BIL did not pass up the chance to buy the 10 six packs of 91 Chave Cuvee Catalin
too bad he’s now ITB and sold most of them… But, every 5 years, I get to share a bottle with my BIL sister and soon, my godson…
I just reviewed my newsletter reports of the time. I personally bought 1991, but not as much as 1988-89-90 (which I bought heavily). I think being the fourth outstanding vintage in a row played some part. Additionally, 1991 was the first vintage where Jean-Louis Chave, instead of Gérard, took me through the cellar (although I believe that Gérard was entirely responsible for the 1991). I am always skeptical when there is a change of generations, although in the case of Chave, unlike various others, it has worked quite well.