The 1985 vintage of Chave Hermitage is very, very good, but one has to recall that back in this era, Gérard Chave bottled a couple of different cuvées of his Hermitage, as certain importers received different blends of casks, depending on what they had traditionally purchased at the estate. So there is some bottle variation to be found in all of the Chave vintages from this era, but with all of the wines excellent in quality- albeit slightly different in personality. This most recent bottle was very pretty, offering up a vibrant and fully mature blend of raspberries, pepper, stony soil tones, a bit of smoked meats, lovely spice notes and a touch of cedar. On the palate the wine is fairly high acid in profile for the ’85 vintage, with its full-bodied format displaying a fine core, impressive transparency, still a fair bit of tannin and fine focus and grip on the long and complex finish. This particular bottle is quite red fruity in personality and not quite at the same level of the very best examples of ’85 Chave that I have tasted, but it is still a beautifully made wine. Stylistically, it does not show the same velvety generosity that one finds in vintages such as 1991 of this bottling, but it delivers an admirable expression of its underlying terroir, lovely fruit tones and plenty of complexity in a slightly more rigid structure. 2014-2040.

Chave produced the best red Hermitage of this vintage. Yet for Chave 1985 was not a year he cares to remember. Holding back the tears he sadly states that his beloved mother as well as his faithful sidekick his dog passed away that year. A sentimentalist Chave is likely to put little of this vintage into the huge reservoir of old vintages that his family has faithfully cellared throughout this century. His 1985 avoided the oversupple style of some of the other reds of this vintage. The wine's deep ruby color exhibits some lightening at the edge. The intense fragrance of smoked meat cassis and Provencal olives is followed by a rich full-bodied velvety-textured wine that is just beginning to reach its apogee. Anticipated maturity: now-2012. Last tasted 12/95.