Just up the street from the estate, Gerard’s son, Jean-Louis, has a small negociant business dedicated to making high quality St.-Joseph. The 2003 offerus St.-Joseph is a beauty. Powerful and rich, with loads of berry fruit, a stunning perfume, and a heady finish, it is the finest example of this offering yet made. Moreover, it will be a bargain in this potentially monumental vintage. One of the last producers to harvest in the north, Chave began picking on September 5th, and refused to acidify despite the fact that analytically there was virtually no acid left in his grapes. He told me this vintage has made him totally re-examine all his ideas about winemaking since the finished wines taste fresh, lively, and while they possesses enormous levels of alcohol (15-17% plus), they are neither hot nor heavy. He said, “Perhaps it is our terroir, but i never thought wines like this could be made.” Everything was still in barrels as the assemblage had not yet taken place, so my tasting notes are based on tastings from each individual cuvee in the cellars.
-Robert Parker 88-90 points
