Hermitage Blanc, J-L Chave 2013

Chave's 2013 Hermitage Blanc had just been bottled prior to my visit. Always 80% to 85% Marsanne and the rest Roussanne, from the lieux-dits of Rocoules, Peleat, L'Hermite and Maison Blanche, it's raised primarily in barrels with a small percentage new. Loaded with notions of buttered citrus, white currants, liquid rock, white flowers and hints of honeysuckle, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful freshness and purity, and a focused, clean, elegant profile that keeps you coming back to the glass. It lacks the sheer wealth of material found in blockbuster years like 2009 and 2003, yet is perfectly balanced, has loads of richness and a great finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy bottles over the following two decades.

Possibly the greatest white yet from Jean-Louis, his 2013 Hermitage Blanc, which I was able to taste from multiple barrels, has extraordinary minerality and purity in its honeyed golden fruits, crème brûlée, flower oil and butter peach aromatics. All of the samples, which rated between 96-100, had massive concentration, beautiful freshness and a focused, chiseled style that's rare to find in wine as massive and rich as this. Production here is down more than 50%, so there's very little to go around. Chave white-lovers need to beg, borrow or steal to get some of this.