1991 Ermitage Cuvee Cathelin
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Tasting notes
Made by Gerard Chave with help from his son Jean-Louis, the 1991 Hermitage Cuvée Cathelin is an incredible treat to taste today, now at 31 years after the grapes were harvested. As always, this is a tiny cuvée that's pulled from the Bessards lieu-dit on the western side of this magical south-facing slope. Fully mature and clearly at its peak, it's considerably richer and more layered than the classic Hermitage and has an almost seemingly Burgundian elegance and nuance in its red and black fruits, flowers, rose petals, crushed stone, and subtly gamey nuances. Remarkably complex, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate and is flawlessly balanced, has resolved tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This heavenly, singular Hermitage isn't going to get better, but it will certainly have a gradual evolution going forward. As Jean-Louis has often told me, the wines don't exist until the bottles are opened, so if you have these, come up with a special occasion and pop a cork.
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
I was blown away by Chave’s 1991 Cuvée Cathelin. Still incredibly fresh, this vibrant, opulent wine revealed extraordinary precision and nuance in a full-bodied style. Dark cherries, cassis, earthiness, smoke and graphite all made an appearance in this breathtakingly pure, expressive wine.
The 1991 is a sleeper. I suspect many readers have forgotten how spectacular this vintage was in the northern Rhone, particularly Cote Rotie. When I arrived at 6:00 p.m., September 11, 2001, at Domaine Chave, I found Chave in tears and his family distraught. I had heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center, but not the subsequent collapse of both towers. Gerard Chave knows all about suicidal bombers, having served in the French military during the Algerian revolution. It took a long time to gather sufficient focus to do my tastings. However, the brilliant wines that unfolded in the cellars were, at least for several hours, a much needed antidote for pushing to the back of my mind the horror of 9-11-01. Importers: Langdon Shiverick, Cleveland OH; tel. (216) 861-6800 and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524
In 1991, Chave made 2,500 bottles of a Hermitage Cuvee Speciale that is significantly richer and more profound than the classic cuvee. It offers an opaque dark purple color, and a huge nose of cassis, vanillin, smoke, and flowers. Full-bodied, dense, and powerful, this deeply concentrated, rich, magnificent Hermitage will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and last for 25-30+ years. Importers: Langdon-Shiverick, Chagrin Falls, OH; Tel. (216) 247-6868 and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; Tel. (510) 524-1524
About the producer
The Chaves have been growing grapes in the Northern Rhône since 1481. Jean-Louis Chave is the 16th generation to head up the family domaine, having taken over from his father in 1992.