Synopsis, Our Opinion: It was a disappointing Rhône Syrah.
Producer/Winery: Gérard and his son Jean-Louis Chave; J.L. Chave; Mauves, France.
Grape Variety: Syrah.
Geographic Appellation: Saint-Joseph; Northern Rhône Valley, France.
Vintage: 2013
Price: $29.95
Purchased From: Woodland Hills Wine Company; Woodland Hills, California.
Paired With: Pork loin with cranberry wine sauce, mashed potatos, sauteed cabbage with onions and apples complemented by caraway seeds.
Tasting:
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He said: Opened 90-minutes before drinking. Clear, brownish purple color with the same color rim. Potent damp earth, cedar shavings, floral and blackberry aromas. Smooth mouth-feel and medium body; brimming with juicy blackberry, licorice and peppery spice flavors, dry, tenacious acidity, firm but round edged tannins and a long finish with overriding acidity. A very bold and fruit forward Rhône Syrah. The Wine Spectator rated this at 93, but our bottle clearly should not have had such a high rating. It’s OK (the aromas were outstanding), but for me it was way to acidic, there was even more than a hint of sourness to it and the balance was just not in harmony. Possibly our bottle was off, but it was a disappointing Rhone Syrah that came highly recommended.
She said: Dark ruby red color, lots of well spaced stocky legs moving at a moderate pace. Any wine with a good aroma puts me in a favorable state of mind and the aroma from this wine did just that. With juicy red fruit and smoky scents the wine had me expecting a great taste experience that was not fulfilled. The body was medium at best and flavors were a bit overwhelmed by the acidity. The tannins were firm but smooth and lasted into the long finish. The wine was better with the dinner than sipping because the acidity was less noticeable. A decent wine, but I would shop around at this price point before buying it again.
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
UPC Code: 3 760046 000132
Imported by: Langdon Shiverick; Los Angeles, California.
Photo from Langdon Shiverick.