Domaine Jean-Louis Chave - L' Hermitage 2022 (White)

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is a powerhouse producer located in the northern Rhône, making wine under the Hermitage and Saint-Joseph appellations. Chave's red and white Hermitage wines – based on Syrah and Marsanne and Roussanne respectively – are some of the most important in the Rhône Valley, commanding high prices and high demand from collectors and aficionados.

The estate has 14.5 hectares (36 acres) of land in Hermitage, making it one of the largest land owners in the appellation. The vineyards were planted when the Chave family arrived in Hermitage in the late 19th Century after phylloxera had devastated much of France. The vineyards were terraced and today cover eight different plots on the hill, providing a range of mesoclimates and terroirs for the Chave wines. Many of the vines are between 30 and 60 years old.

"Bottled in September 2024, just two months before my visit, the 2022 L’Hermitage Blanc is brilliant. Prominent honeysuckle, lemon zest, ripe peach, cedar, quince and a hint of jasmine burst from the glass. The full-bodied 2022 seamlessly combines elevated flavor concentration with vibrant freshness on the palate, delivering a precise, impressive L’Hermitage Blanc. The refined finish is remarkably long and focused, enhanced by a nuanced phenolic grip." - 97 Points, Vinous

"The plots of Péléat and Rocoules were a little richer than a typical year, with relatively low acidity, while Ermite had a honeysuckle florally and a little more flesh than usual. Rich, dense and mighty, it is the opposite in style to the fine, fresh 2021. Picking started on 23 August in 2022. A tasting of the different plots was instructive, but the wines had been moved from barrel to tank the day before, so the score is a guide only." - 96 Points, Decanter

"2022 was the earliest harvest in the estate’s history. Jean-Louis Chave harvested the Roucoule and Péléat plots on August 23-24, while Maison Blanche and Ermite were picked on August 28. The 2022 Hermitage Blanc reveals a complex, ripe bouquet of almonds, white flowers, honey and spices angled with baked orchard fruits. Full-bodied and concentrated, the palate is rich and dense with a suave texture, a multidimensional core of fruit framed by chalky dry extracts and a delicate, phenolic, gastronomic bitterness. Slightly austere at this stage, this gastronomic wine is built for the cellar." - 95 Points, Wine Advocate

Producer: Domaine Jean-Louis Chave 

Country: France

Region: Rhône Valley

Varietal: Marsanne, Roussanne

Appellation: Hermitage

Vintage: 2022

Size: 750ml