Professional reviews
Robert Parker (90)
The 2008 Hermitage is a down-sized version of Chave’s typical Hermitage, but it is, nevertheless, an elegant, mid-weight, pure effort exhibiting berry fruit intermixed with hints of black currants, herbs, pepper, meat juice and bouquet garni. When asked how they made such a fine wine in such a difficult vintage, the Chaves said that over 33% of the entire harvest was declassified.
Winespectator (94)
Shows a lightly firm plum skin edge, with a briary feel to the pomegranate, black cherry pepper and tobacco notes. A tangy iron edge peeks through on the finish, with the briar note hanging on as well. Nice stuffing for the vintage, though this relies more on acidity than tannins in the end.
Jancis Robinson (17)
Soft garnet. Elegant and perfumed on the nose, so different from the 2012, at the moment anyway. This has Syrah’s savoury dark fruit but also its floral side. Powder-fine tannins with excellent freshness. A beautiful wine still in its infancy. Long and refined. (JH)
BOW (8.25)
Falstaff (97)
Ethereal herbal savouriness, sweet cherry, menthol and green pepper on the complex and beguiling nose. The palate displays grainy tannins in the early stage of maturity but no astringency. The ethereal spiciness is immediately present and despite the 14% volume there is not an ounce of excess fat. It's concentrated, sinewy and puristic and yet everything just melts together seamlessly as one in the round finish. still has tension, but no more astringency, the ethereal savouriness is immediately vivid on the palate, despite 14% by volume, the wine has not a gram of fat too much, seems bundled, sinewy and purist, and yet all components texture seamlessly round and smooth into one on the finish.
