Cellar Favorite: Domaine J.L. Chave 1991 L’Hermitage & 1995 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 22, 2025

Like most, I can count the number of times I have consumed the Cuvée Cathelin on one hand. Many moons have waxed and waned since I last encountered a bottle. To be honest, I had no idea that prices had exploded exponentially to levels associated with blue-chip Burgundy. According to John Livingstone-Learmonth’s indispensable “The Wines of the Northern Rhône,” the catalyst for this cuvée came from the late artist Bernard Cathelin, who wanted to paint a label for his friend, Gérard Chave. Chave decided to create a separate cuvée from his main bottling, what might be considered a “remix” of the same seven sites on the hill of Hermitage. One misunderstanding is that the Cuvée Cathelin is matured in 100% new oak by rote; it is more accurate to say that the Cathelin tends to see more new oak than the regular cuvée. Another is that the Cuvée Cathelin is implicitly better. While market prices infer that to be true, Chave incepted the Cathelin to make something different rather than superior. Ergo, if there is too much similarity between the two in any given vintage, Chave will forego releasing a Cathelin.

My first encounter with Cuvée Cathelin serves as a pertinent reminder that even legends like this were once available to cash-strapped mortals. Around the turn of the millennium, I volunteered as a key panel taster for the now-defunct “Wine” magazine. The 1991 Cuvée Cathelin was innocuously inserted into a blind lineup that included supermarket Rhône-based blends! My second was a bottle of the inaugural 1990 Cuvée Cathelin, again served blind against the regular bottling at a vertical tasting in London. Most of the tasters, including myself, preferred the regular bottling.

During a bacchanal celebrating a friend’s birthday this past May, we were treated to Domaine J.L. Chave’s 1991 L’Hermitage—an absolute showstopper. Displaying pure red and blue fruit laced with lavender and shavings of black truffle on the youthful nose, it has fabulous delineation and vigour. The palate is blessed with balance and harmony in spades. After more than three decades, the tannins have melted, now sublimated by the pure black fruit, though there remains tangible grip. There is residual Rhône-like warmth to this L’Hermitage, as if those galets strewn across the vineyard are part of the wine, still emitting that summer’s warmth. Flecks of blood orange and andouillette emerge towards the peacock’s tail finish. Brilliant and à point. 98/Drink 2025-2050.

Following this lunch, we moved to the bar at Noble Rot Mayfair. One munificent guest opened a 1995 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin. This was cut from a different cloth than the ’91 Hermitage. Now 30 years old, the 1995 has a swarthy nose with raspberry, briar, juniper and light cola scents, well defined, if missing the bucolic charm of the ’91. The palate is velvety smooth with hints of strawberry pastille and eucalyptus. The Cathelin is supremely well balanced and polished, sporting impressive weight and density on the glossy finish. That said, I asked myself whether it really has the profundity you find in Chave’s finest creations. Still, it was a privilege to drink such a rare Rhône. Based on this showing, the 1995 deserves further time in bottle. 94/Drink 2028-2055.

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