Exuberant and ripe on the nose. A mix of red and black fruit, and while this is missing the more archetypal syrah notes of meat and pepper on the nose, but there is a slight brininess to the nose (and palate) that seems somewhat atypical for such youthful Chave Hermitage.
The palate on this is quite fantastic, it reminds me somewhat of the elegance of the 2016, but with fruit that is more opulent and sweet. With air, the brine/olive notes emerge, and give this a much more classical profile. This is a whole 15% abv on the label, but it seems to carry it well on the palate; there's no sign of heat at all, but you do feel the alcohol a bit. All in all, this may be the best vintage since the otherworldly 2010.
