NOSE: rodent (second time tonight!), barnyard, hay (redundant, but “barnyard” in my world means animals and their accompanying mess, hay is for the animals), wet rocks. Fruit is dry and receded and near-theoretical.
TASTE: elegant indeed. Medium weight, tannins nicely smoothed with age, dried herbs (old lady perfume), dried blackberry. 92. — 25 days ago
Vinoso. Bello. Finissimo e maturo. Fresco e piacevolmente acido — a month ago
2016 inviting nose, soft tannins and good finish. — a month ago
Love these wines. 2016 is a beautiful rendition, rich, spicy, and mineral, layered with oak framed vibrant fruit, sweet spices, violets and game, with a seductive, velvety and expansive palate with fine grained tannins. Drinking beautifully now but with a long life ahead. More Vosne than NSG which is just the way I like it. Last sips were the best. — 5 months ago
Solid 2023 rose. A little pricey ($17.99). — a day ago
En primeur — a month ago
Smooth. Not tannic. Even better after being opened several days. Blackberry. — a month ago
Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.
Fun to open birth year wines around your birthday, especially when you can do a Bordeaux and Napa side by side. While not a great vintage, this held up well after a few hours and presented as expected. Clean and zero Brett. Great color! Deep ruby with hardly any bricking. Leather, cassis, vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose. Sporting a good bit of dusty red and black fruits (mostly tart raspberries and blackberries), there was a little savory truffle note mixed with an herbal and mocha finish. Still quite grippy. Pretty. — a month ago
This should cellar longer. Maybe another 5 yrs before I try again. Decanted over 3 hrs. Tight in first hour. It needs a lot air now. Many layers and complex fruit. It lingers. Meaty after taste. Dark fruit. Earthy. I liked it very much and look forward to the next one. — 19 days ago
Beautiful. A bit of everything. Freshness, depth, fruit and minerality. Long and pleasant finish.
94 + — a month ago
Pure and précise. Time will reward. — a month ago
It’s always a resounding ‘YES’ for JL Chave!!
That includes this luscious and concentrated Syrah from Saint-Joseph AOC in the Northern Rhône of France.
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is a benchmark and icon of the Rhône Valley – a family-run operation since 1481 – with an entire range of deliciousness through the Domaine Jean-Louis Chave and JL Chave Selection portfolios.
This wine is deep ruby, trending on purple. It has pronounced aromas and flavors of boysenberry, blueberry, black cherry, cassis, pomegranate, also violet, bacon, sanguine, saddle leather, pipe tobacco, clove, cigar, damp earth, and black peppercorn. Alcohol is high (14.5% ABV) with medium (+) fine-grained and well-integrated tannins, medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body, and a long, elegant finish.
It has a rustic and savory character with robust dark fruit notes; it’s layered, complex, structured, and age-worthy, benefitting from decanting. Still, it’s tasting wonderfully now.
Cheers to JL Chave and treasures of the Rhône!! — 2 months ago
rounded fresh fruits, deeply tannic still. aniseed, pepper, like a cured sausage taste. light oak on the nose and on palate. clove. slightly mineralic, granite and graphite, fresh olive, orange rind. — 2 months ago
Earthy and funky. Big and bold — 4 months ago
Smoky violets. Savory with a whiff of grapefruit. Whole cluster. Thoughtful. — 6 months ago
Ron Siegel
Always loved this 07, sadly my last btl out of an owc showing beautiful red cherry, baking spices, cinnamon, orange peel, earth, crushed rock & violet — 6 days ago