Spiced melon fruits, wet stones and dried yellow flowers with a honeysuckle edge. This has aged beautifully with the fat rendering from the palate over time to deliver a composed and smooth-edged core of melons, minerals and a fresh, toasty finish. This sits in a superb zone as a complete, mature white. Drink now.

Another fantastic Hermitage from J-L Chave, this bottle enjoyed at The Harrow Inn. Given ample decanting, one can see the multi-faceted nature of this wine. A deep garnet core. A sensuous, beguiling bouquet just soars from the glass; dark cherries, game, thyme, rosemary, liquorices and a hint of white fennel. The palate is full-bodied with svelte, lush tannins but counterbalanced by a robust structure that suggests this is a long-term Hermitage. Wonderful balance, cashmere texture, almost Burgundian towards the finish. A delirious wine. Drink now-2030.

The 1998 Hermitage showed beautifully, with an almost Burgundian, elegant style. Possessing lots of minerality and liquid rock like nuances as well as plenty of darker fruits, leather and earthy nuances, it glides across the palate with a medium to full-bodied, layered, seamless texture. The tannin are relatively resolved and while mature, it’s going to continue evolving gracefully for another decade. It’s a beautiful, mature, elegant wine from Chave.

Deep ruby in color, with a perfume filled with pepper, stone, black raspberries, kirsch and licorice. Full bodied, powerful, yet elegant, this packed and stacked, graceful Hermitage wine demands at least another 5 or more years before it really begins to show its true colors. This was about $80 on release. Those were the days. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=1998+Chave+Hermitage

(95+ points) The 1998 Hermitage is also gorgeous, yet has more concentration and depth. Described as a “granite year” by Jean-Louis, this puppy has searing, liquid rock-like qualities to go with ample dark fruit, gunpowder and flint. Structured, firm and backward, yet with a rock-star mid-palate and finish, give it another 3-5 years and drink bottles through 2028- JD

Opens with a vibrant berry, chocolate, Asian-spice, rosemary, olive and bacon-fat nose so good you linger before tasting. Sour cherry, licorice, brush, leather and a meaty note show on the palate. The wine is lean yet velvety, with powerful, deep structure. It closes with full, ripe tannins, notes of black tea and pepper. Cellar this keeper until 2004, drink through 2015+.

Offers very enticing floral, dried currant, cherry and blood orange notes, with twinges of cedar, mesquite and clove. Lots of perfumy spice, but no edges. Supple and polished. Fully mature, but with the balance and freshness to hold here a while.—Non-blind Chave vertical (June 2012). Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases made. –JM