Wine Advisor
Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage Blanc 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Translucent yellow. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe pear, yellow plum, orange zest, smoky minerals and jasmine, along with a deeper suggestion of honey. Honeysuckle, energetic, sharply delineated citrus, orchard fruit flavors stain the palate and become weightier with aeration. The mineral note expands as the wine opens up and drives an impressively long, chewy finish that features lingering floral, brioche and saffron notes.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
In the end, I'm unable to definitely say that the 2017 Hermitage Blanc is better than the stupendous 2016. Of course, I sampled it just three days after it was bottled, so I've appended the + to my rating, as there's a possibility the wine may have been affected by that process. It's gently toasty but dominated at this stage by forward melon and pineapple fruit. Full-bodied and incredibly rich yet balanced, it unfolds in waves of flavor and texture, lingering for what seems like minutes on the finish. Hit it soon to enjoy its youthful opulence, or put it aside for 10-12 years.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Projecting a rating on Chave's Hermitage is something of a puzzle, since there's no sure way of knowing how the separate components will come together. The 2017 Hermitage Blanc hasn't been blended yet, but it will surely contain healthy portions of les Rocoules (97-99 points). It's rich and weighty, loaded with honeyed pear and pineapple, yet long, silky and vibrant. Another barrel sample from higher on the same slope showed more crushed stone and less obvious fruit (97 - 99 points). L'Hermite will be another important component (98-100 points), as it comes across as even richer yet brighter and even more exquisitely balanced, with a sense of liquid stone and a nearly endless finish.
