Jean-Louis Chave : Hermitage Domaine 2001

Characteristics and tasting advice for the 2001 Hermitage from Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Tasting

Appearance

The color shows a garnet hue with tawny highlights at the rim, reflecting the wine’s evolution after more than two decades of aging.

Nose

The aromatic bouquet reveals fine complexity, with notes of leather, dried spices, forest floor and game. Distinctive iodine-like aromas are also present, alongside hints of blackcurrant, redcurrant, black olive and violet. Touches of garrigue and sweet spices complete this mature aromatic profile.

Palate

On the palate, this wine offers a medium-to-full body with a silky texture and refined tannins. The structure is more elegant than austere, reflecting careful winemaking that favors finesse. The well-integrated acidity brings freshness and perfectly balances the wine’s richness. Flavors unfold in successive layers, moving from fruit to mineral and earthy notes that reflect the granite soils of Hermitage. The finish stands out for its length, persistence, and the way the different aromatic components continue to develop.

Food and wine pairings

This 2001 Hermitage pairs beautifully with dry-aged red meats, roasted lamb, truffled poularde, and game preparations such as venison, wild boar, or duck. Dishes made with truffles, mushrooms, or root vegetables also create remarkable harmonies. Certain Asian preparations incorporating soy sauce, miso, or other fermented ingredients can offer interesting pairings thanks to the wine’s minerality and vibrant acidity.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve this 2001 Hermitage at a temperature between 15.5 and 17 °C. Decanting for one to three hours before serving helps soften the tannic structure and encourage aromatic expression. For bottles showing significant sediment, opt for a simple decanting focused on separating the deposits. Properly stored, this wine can be enjoyed until around 2040, or even beyond for bottles with impeccable provenance and optimal storage conditions.

An Hermitage from the Rhône Valley combining power and freshness

The estate

Founded in 1481, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave represents the oldest family line of winegrowers continuously active in the Hermitage appellation. Based in Mauves in the Rhône Valley, the estate spans around twenty-six hectares of vineyards. Jean-Louis Chave, the sixteenth generation at the helm of the property since 1993, continues a philosophy centered on respect for the terroir and minimal intervention in the cellar. Certified organic since 2019, the estate farms thirteen hectares within the Hermitage appellation, spread across nine prestigious lieux-dits. Internationally recognized, Jean-Louis Chave received the Institute of Masters of Wine’s Winemaker's Winemaker Award in 2020 and the title of Winemaker of the Year at the Grands Prix du Vin in 2022.

The vineyard

The Hermitage vineyard stretches across the famous granite hill overlooking the left bank of the Rhône. The estate’s thirteen hectares are divided into parcels with distinct characteristics: Les Bessards with steep granite soils, Le Méal on limestone, L'Hermite on loess, Péléat with sandy-clay compositions, Maison-Blanche, Les Rocoules with clay-limestone soils, as well as Beaume, Dignières and Dionnières. This mosaic of terroirs, farmed organically, benefits from south and east exposures on slopes sometimes exceeding 45°C, requiring entirely manual work. Yields are deliberately kept low through green harvesting and meticulous canopy management. Late harvesting favors optimal phenolic ripeness in the grapes.

The vintage

The year 2001 in the northern Rhône Valley was marked by high temperatures and pronounced dryness from mid-August onward, concentrating sugars and promoting phenolic development. In early September, a brief rainfall followed by two weeks of northerly winds cooled the grapes while continuing their concentration thanks to the drying effect of the Mistral. These conditions produced wines reaching 14% alcohol while retaining remarkable freshness, with no heaviness. The 2001 vintage proved to be a year of very high quality, offering depth and aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

Each parcel of the 2001 Hermitage was vinified separately in order to preserve the distinctive expression of each terroir. After partial destemming, the grapes fermented in open vats with traditional punch-downs. The maceration period was determined by sensory evaluation according to the characteristics of the vintage. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in barrels after alcoholic fermentation. Aging then continued for 18 to 24 months in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new oak not exceeding one third in order to preserve the expression of the terroir. The wine was bottled without filtration to retain all its complexity and textural richness.

Grape variety

Syrah