The family’s wine origins in Saint-Joseph go back to 1481 and as you duck your head to traverse the labyrinth of small cellars under the house, you feel the history. The estate has been passed from father to son for sixteen generations and Jean-Louis’ parents still live above the cellar. The chance to purchase vineyards on the famous Hermitage hill came in the 19th century around the time of phylloxera and include ten hectares of Syrah and four hectares planted to Marsanne (80% and Roussanne (20%), with vines well over 50 years old. This holding is one of the largest in Hermitage and is made up of a patchwork of different parcels and soils. If you are lucky to taste with Jean-Louis, he will guide you through these different terroirs so that you can feel the components before tasting the final blend. I am tempted to share my notes on each of these parcels with you but for fear of losing your attention, I will only say that the 80-year-old vines grown on steep granite slopes at Bessards still resonate on my palate and my memory.
What has made Jean-Louis really excited over the last few years, is his reconstruction of the historic Chave vineyards in St. Joseph, on the hills above the cellar. His latest project there, replanting and terracing the beautiful Clos Florentin, has kept him busy for the last few years.
As to the winemaking, it varies according to the year and the climate. Fermentation takes place mainly in stainless steel (a very smart fermentation cellar was added in 2014). In warm vintages, not all of the harvest is destemmed and only a very small amount of new oak (around 20%) is added to the barrel cellar each year. The wines age for around 18 months before blending and bottling.
Jean-Louis took over from his father Gérard at the end of the 1980s and hasn’t stopped since. When asked by a colleague what was the key to Jean-Louis’ genius, I can only answer “precision”: in his myriad of blending tastings; his detailed knowledge of his parcels; his understanding of perfect grape ripeness. That coupled with his capacity for hard work and a good dollop of modesty, makes the current generation of the Chave family a worthy custodian of the domain.
J.L. Chave Selection
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0.75l
€49.50 €40.91This white Hermitage is taking its time to unfurl and reveal its different layers of flavour. It has a lovely, inviting vanilla flavour on the attack and is both creamy and full of tension. There are abiding notes of white flowers, almond, nougat, spice and peach but everything is held together tightly like a bouquet of spring flowers. As always it is the texture of the wine that even in the hot 2019 vintage is showing lots of liveliness and pretty, expressive flavours that grew more serious as the wine progresses on the palate. The Marsanne grapes come mainly from the lieu-dit Maison Blanche, which sits atop the hill of Hermitage and include grapes purchased from a parcel of 60-year-old vines. The soil is iron-rich clay and loess and is a cooler soil perfectly suited for white wines. This white Hermitage will age for another decade or so. A beautiful wine with only 400 cases produced.
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0.75l
€25.00 €20.66Out of stockMade from Roussanne grapes grown at Clos Florentin on the Chave domaine, the nose of this famous white wine are caressing: round, soft, with aromas of lanolin, camomile, wax, fennel and hay. On the palate the texture is creamy and a touch spicy with a core of dry extract on the mid-palate which show just how concentrated this wine is. Towards the end of the wine it becomes fresh with a touch of appetising bitterness which cuts through the generous weight and deep texture which is evident here. Long, dry and exciting. Great with poached fish or poultry. Drink for next ten years.
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0.75l
€47.00 €38.84There were only three or four barrels of this wine made in 2018 which shows great vibrancy and vigour and a freshness which is quite surprising for a vintage which ended by being quite hot. There is no doubt about the quality of the 2018 vintage which will only grow in stature over the years. This wine comes from a parcel of vines in the Bessards area. It has wonderful spice and freshness with a rich, velvety structure which has great vitality. The fruit is dark, autumnal flavoured and gives lift to a wine which is powerful and will be long lived. A lovely achievement from the Jean-Louis Chave Selection that will age well for at least ten years.
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0.75l
€14.30 €11.82Jean-Louis Chave admits to spending a great deal of time wanting to make his “simple” Côte du Rhône better. For us, it is hard to think of many wines that can beat this. Much of the fruit comes from famous crus in the southern Rhône such as Cairanne and Vinsobres as well as villages such as Rasteau and Visan, where the vines are exploited by young growers that Jean-Louis has put in place. The 2021 has a bright crimson colour, good intensity, round soft, plummy fruit where the blend of Grenache and Syrah with a touch of Cinsault and Mourvèdre works beautifully. The old oak foudres from the domain are used at the Clos Florentin winery to age this wine. A great success in Belgium, this is a lovely, quaffable wine which is just so satisfying to drink young.
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0.75l
€24.50 €20.25The grapes for this wine all come from parcels owned by Chave with 80% of the fruit coming from Mauves, Tournon and St. Jean de Muzols. The Syrah grape here is shining bright, with a pretty, dark ruby colour and a welcoming nose of rose petals and violets that shows the fine purity of this wine. There is a touch of sweetness which offsets the lively spiceness of the fruit on the palate. Youthful and very pure, the wine shows the joyous ebullience of young vines with the magic of the cooler, east facing slopes. This is beautifully structured and balanced and offers terrific value for this level of quality.
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0.75l
€19.70 €16.28Out of stockJean-Louis does not make a domain white wine in Crozes, so it is lovely to find this unusual wine in his Selection wines. Made from a blend of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, grown on the top of the Hermitage hill, owned by Florian, Jean-Louis’ cellar master, the soils here are loess and granite. They give the wine a nose of orange peel, oats, hay, and almond blossom – a beautiful entry into an intriguing wine. On the palate the wine has great tension and acidity with notes of nougat and spice, citrus fruit, and a touch of ginger. There is a lovely buzz of fresh fruit which reverberates on the palate from start to finish. Drink over the next decade