2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St. Joseph Clos Florentin
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The medium to full-bodied 2018 Saint Joseph Le Clos Florentin comes across as a bit tight and closed at the moment, so give it a couple of years to relax before popping a cork. There are still hints of intriguing floral notes, plus a mix of plum and raspberry fruit, and ample concentration and length on the finish, so it should be a good bet for those consumers with a bit of patience.
Critic scores
Average Score
The Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted in components. #1: high-pitched red and blue fruit aromas and flavors take on floral and exotic spice notes with air. Juicy and precise, with no excess fat and strong back-end punch. #2: bitter cherry and blackberry qualities show very good depth. Licorice and sweet cola notes linger on a long, chewy finish. #3: assertive black raspberry, candied violet, olive and cracked pepper character. Densely packed yet nervy, with lingering floral and mineral notes and gentle tannic grip. There's a lot of fresh fruit here, which I suspect will give the final wine plenty of upfront appeal, but I'll bet that it's balanced to age.
To date, this is the only single-parcel wine Chave has released from Saint Joseph. The 2018 Saint Joseph Le Clos Florentin boasts wonderfully pure blueberries on the nose, with just the slightest hints of herbs and Asian five-spice powder. Full-bodied, it's deep and rich, supple on the mid-palate, then silky and fine on the finish. In less than a generation, Jean-Louis Chave has created one of Saint Joseph's top wines. (JC)
Tasted in components. #1: high-pitched red and blue fruit aromas and flavors take on floral and exotic spice notes with air. Juicy and precise, with no excess fat and strong back-end punch. #2: bitter cherry and blackberry qualities show very good depth. Licorice and sweet cola notes linger on a long, chewy finish. #3: assertive black raspberry, candied violet, olive and cracked pepper character. Densely packed yet nervy, with lingering floral and mineral notes and gentle tannic grip. There's a lot of fresh fruit here, which I suspect will give the final wine plenty of upfront appeal, but I'll bet that it's balanced to age. (JR)
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.