Domaine Jean-Louis Chave J.L. Chave Sélection Hermitage Blanche Marsanne Roussanne 2016

Josh Morgenthau

Pretty notes of candied peach, taffy, buttered lemon, cotton candy, some really intoxicating fruit perfume on the nose. On the palate this is sweet; tastes like not insubstantial residual sugar. Very hedonistic but there’s not nearly enough acid or the kind of searing minerality that balances the ripeness of best Rhone whites. For now at least, it is way too heavy for my palate. Very interesting to contrast with Aine’s second white hermitage, Chevalier du Sterimberg, which from my point of view has all that this is missing.

Jay Kline

Presented double-blind. Bright straw color in the glass. On the nose, medium+ intensity and crazy complex with orange, lemonade, stone fruits, tropical fruit, pineapple, Carmel apple, white pepper, toasted sour dough, saddle soap, and cotton candy. On the palate, the wine is dry and quite round. Deeply fruited and primary with juicy fruit bubble gum and holiday spices. The finish is long. Medium- acid, medium+ alcohol. Complex, rich in texture and slightly bitter. This vintage was 100% Marsanne from the Maison Blanche lieu-dit at the top of the hill. Whatever grapes don’t get used for the Domaine’s Hermitage Blanc are put into this bottling and made more or less the same way. I have a couple bottles holed away for down the road as I suspect these will drink very well for many years down the road.

Sander Schaap

Too heavy. Tastes more like a Napa Chardonnay.than Northern Rhône.