2019 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Clos Florentin Saint-Joseph
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Tasting notes
Shimmering ruby color. Smoky mineral and potpourri nuances and a hint of incense complement expansive blackberry, kirsch, olive paste and exotic spice scents. Juicy and deeply concentrated, offering sappy, dark berry preserve, spicecake, espresso and violet pastille flavors that show fine definition and mineral thrust. Comes off impressively lithe for its depth, finishing sweet and extremely long, with repeating spiciness and polished tannins that sneak in late. This is a category-defining wine for the appellation, at least by my standards.
Critic scores
Josh Raynolds
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Saint Joseph Le Clos Florentin was entirely destemmed, so while the wine's aromas and flavors from a hot, dry vintage skew toward cassis and black olives, the overall impression is one of elegance, finesse and polish. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and fine, with a long, long finish.
Tasted in components drawn from different sectors of this single vineyard at the southern end of Mauves' frenetic central business district, referred to as SoMa. #1: hugely perfumed red berry and floral qualities on the nose and palate, along with subtle mineral and spice notes. Sweet and seamless in texture, dare I say Burgundian, with fine-grained tannins and clinging florality. #2: deeper and darker in character, showing ripe cherry and cassis qualities and building floral, earth, tobacco and mineral notes. Shows real energy on the back half, leaving suave floral and spice notes behind. #3: blends the energy and richness of the first two components, offering sweet red and dark berry aromas and flavors underscored by a vibrant mineral note. While it's still early days, this is shaping up to be an epic Saint-Joseph, with the depth, power and complexity of many an Hermitage.
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.