1985 Jean Louis Chave Hermitage

1985 Jean Louis Chave Hermitage

I vividly remembered the various bottles of killer JL Chave Hermitage 1978 I drank a couple of years ago, it was almost an end game for me (Rayas 1978 was an end game for me). Last night JL Chave threw another killer punch onto me, and I would boldly say this was probably my second best Chave I’ve ever had after the 78! Wet leaves with a hint of tobacco greeted my sniffing warmly. Slightly dusty and dirty body to boot, it has a unique earthy tone. Body was as elegant as a great burgundy, slightly more hardy than the fragile Pinot Noir counterparts, it’s really feminine and elegance to the max. I suspect this 1985 vintage will rival the 1978 vintage in a decade’s time!

28 Jun 2016
ANOTHER HERMITAGE 85
As per my previous post, I didn't believe that La Chapelle 85 was that great, unlike many wise man's claim. Perhaps this JL Chave Hermitage 85 just proved my point.
Big bouquet, very funky, beefy, masculine and punchy. Loads of sour cherries on the palate, along with extremely rich fruits. An exceptionally structured wine that makes me ponder how long it can age for. Slightly woody and very dry. The dryness was a sign of weakness to me.