2006 Hermitage Blanc
By Jean-Louis Chave
2006 Hermitage Blanc from Jean-Louis Chave, Rhone
Casting its spell with effortless elegance and deceptive strength, the 2006 Hermitage Blanc from the iconic Rhone producer Jean-Louis Chave offers a showcase of both the vintage's unique personality and Chave's masterful winemaking artistry.
Class in a glass: Investing in a brilliant bottle
The 2006 Hermitage Blanc from Jean-Louis Chave is holistically mesmerising, with its layered depth and unequivocally complex character tempting serious wine investors. Chave's long-established mastery in Rhone produces this celebrated wine, marking the Hermitage Blanc as an ideal addition to any sophisticated portfolio.
This radiant vino unfolds with the precision of an Oris chronograph; every note in its symphony of flavours evoking an intimate dialogue between the terroir and grape, displaying why Marsanne - the varietal backbone of this viticultural virtuoso - is so esteemed in the region.
In a great year, an unparalleled offering
The 2006 vintage was a hallmark year for Rhone, blessed by ideal climatic conditions that resulted in harvest brimming with stunningly ripe, luscious grapes. When these were treated to Chave's non-interventionist methods, the product bore witness to the beauty inherent in allowing nature to dictate its own rhythm.
This 2006 Hermitage Blanc gleams like a chandelier lit from within, its bouquet unfurling with wafts of honeyed apricots, roasted nuts and whispers of floral complexity. On the palate, it pirouettes gracefully between nuances of ripe peach, quince paste, hazelnut cream and delicate minerality.
Assertively textured and yet delicately nuanced, this Hermitage Blanc reflects the sublime balance that sets this vintage apart in the pantheon of Jean-Louis Chave's admirable creations. Reflecting the brighter side of Rhone while clenching its roots in rich terroir, it’s a statement of restrained power and intricate complexity that wine investors find irresistible.
Indeed, the 2006 Hermitage Blanc from Jean-Louis Chave is as much a testament to Rhone's deliverance of remarkable vintages as it is to Jean-Louis Chave's unwavering dedication towards expressing them. A compelling wine investment—eloquent, memorable and resounding with gravitas.
Market price (GBP)
£1,760.00
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
97.78
Scores and tasting notes
Absolutely prodigious, with both blockbuster richness and an inherent weightlessness and elegance that shows how successful the vintage was for whites, the 2006 Hermitage Blanc offers incredible minerality as well as notes of white currants, buttered stone fruits and hints of honeycomb in a rich, layered, thrillingly pure style. It's drinking gorgeously today, but certainly has two decades of life remaining. This might be a dessert island white for me and count yourself lucky if you have a few bottles of this elixir in the cellar.
Jeb Dunnuck - The Wine Advocate, 28 February 2017