Jean-Louis Chave Selection, Saint-Joseph 'Offerus', Rhône Valley, France, 2020

Overview of the Wine
Going back to 1481, when the first Jean-Louis Chave was gifted a vineyard in St Joseph by the nobleman Farconnet, 25 generations have farmed some of the best parcels in the Northern Rhône. Though now known as perhaps the best producer of Hermitage (and certainly among the best blenders in the world), the family only expanded to this famous hill during the mid-1800s wave of phylloxera that decimated Europe's vineyards. 

In the 1970s, when Gerard Chave took over from his father, the domaine rapidly achieved megastar status due to the extraordinary quality of his wines. Gerard's son Jean-Louis (25th of his name) now oversees the estate and has shown an ever expanding dedication to improving the already stunning quality of these rare wines. Jean-Louis Chave regularly dedicates the domaine to intense and exacting projects, the benefits of which will be seen by future generations. Indeed, the estate employs three full time stonemasons just to repair the traditional stone walls dotting the vineyards. 

Since the 1990s, Jean-Louis Chave has offered a second label known as 'J.L. Chave Sélection' that provides a glimpse of the reason for the estate's fame at a fraction of the price. Many of these wines are from declassified estate wine and long term farming contracts, and are vinified in the domaine's primary cellar in Mauves. 

Natural and Organic. 

Origin
Saint-Joseph, Rhône Valley, France

Grapes/Blend
Syrah

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Jean-Louis Chave Selections is the negotiant project of the Chave family. Much of the wine though is from estate grapes and produced with the same methodology. These are not wines to be skipped, and provide excellent value. Violets, dark fruit, earth, and spice are all on display here.

93 Points - Wine Spectator
Well-meshed and alluring, this red offers a generous core of cherry, plum and fruitcake spice, with pretty lilac highlights. Creamy on the full palate, with smoked meat notes and a sturdy spine of graphite. Shows impressive length and poise. Drink now through 2030.

Product size: 750ml