Hermitage Rouge, J-L Chave 2021

More in the mold of the 2014, the 2021 Hermitage is a ripe, polished, beautifully balanced Hermitage that doesn't have the depth and concentration of a great vintage, yet shines for its elegance, balance, and overall sense of class. Red and black fruits, saddle leather, camphor, and subtle gamey, bouquet garni notes, as well as a brilliant sense of minerality, define this medium-bodied, balanced, silky Hermitage. It's going to shine with just 3-5 years of bottle age, and while I would enjoy bottles over the coming 10-15 years, these light yet perfectly balanced wines have an uncanny ability to age longer than we expect. 2027 - 2044

As is usually the case, I was able to taste the new vintage in its individual components, which is an incredible lesson in the terroir of Hermitage, and I continue to believe this is one of the most educational tastings I do every year. All of the samples for the 2021 Hermitage rated between 93 and 95, and this should be a classic, more medium-bodied, elegant, yet still substantial Hermitage. All of the single parcels show classic, textbook characteristics and possess ripe tannins and outstanding purity of fruit. I suspect this wine will be in the mold of the 2014, possibly the 2004. It should benefit from just short-term cellaring and have two decades of longevity.