Hermitage Rouge 2015

Chave, J-L

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Tasting Notes

I had the opportunity to retaste the wonderful 2015 Hermitage and have taken this opportunity to up my rating of it a couple of points, more in line with how I thought it would turn out from barrel than when I first tasted it from bottle last year. Yes, it's closed up pretty tight, but the potential is clearly enormous, with pungent, peppery aromas accenting espresso, black olive and blackberries. Full-bodied, dense and supremely concentrated, with a tremendously long finish, this is a vintage to put away and forget for at least 5-6 years, maybe a decade.

Score: 99

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025 - 2040 19 December 2019

After tasting several intermediate blends that will ultimately be combined in some proportion to create the 2015 Hermitage, I would not be surprised to see the final result achieve perfection. Although massively ripe and concentrated, there is still a feeling of balance and elegance in the wines that I fully expect to carry over into the final product. As the blending process isn’t complete, Jean-Louis warned that it was too early to say if there would be a Cuvée Cathelin, which is typically an outstanding parcel that, for some reason, doesn’t work in the rest of the blend.

Score: 98 - 100

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025-2040 29 December 2017

As good as Hermitage can get, the 2015 Hermitage from Jean-Louis Chave reminds me of a hypothetical mix of the 2010 and 1990 with its incredible purity, finesse, and elegant paired with awesome depth and structure. This heavenly wine exhibits a deep purple color as well as a powerful bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberries, dried violets, graphite, and crushed rocks, with a liquid mineral component that’s just about impossible to find outside of the Bessards lieu-dit in Hermitage. Full-bodied and massively concentrated on the palate, yet with laser-like precision and clarity, it needs a solid decade of cellaring and will keep for 40+ years or more. It’s not as sexy or overt as the Cuvee Cathelin, but is every bit as good.

Score: 100

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2028 - 2068 20 December 2018

Not yet bottled, the 2015 Hermitage has perfection written all over it and reminds me of the 2010. Graphite, charcoal, liquid rock, and sensationally pure crème de cassis notes all soar from the glass of this full-bodied, concentrated, opulent 2015. This is a big, sexy beast of a Hermitage, yet it has the classic minerality, purity, and balance shown by just about every wine made from this estate. Forget bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 4-5 decades.

Score: 98 - 100

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2026-2066 24 January 2018

This delivers a broad swath of gently mulled blackberry, plum and boysenberry fruit flavors, inlaid deeply and seamlessly with anise, roasted apple wood, graphite and black tea notes. A mouthwatering mineral edge harnesses everything, adding refinement and cut. The extremely long finish has a wonderful sense of fine detail. Best from 2020 through 2040.

Score: 98

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2020-2040 30 November 2018

Youthful purple color. Mineral-accented dark berries, star anise, cola, olive and pungent flowers on the explosively perfumed nose. Offers impressively concentrated, expansive flavors of black raspberry, spicecake, smoked meat and candied flowers that are complicated by licorice candy and dark chocolate notes that sneak in on the back half. Sweet, sappy and precise on the floral- and dark fruit-driven finish, which shows outstanding clarity and round, harmonious tannins that build smoothly and steadily.

Score: 97

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040 01 April 2018