Jean-Louis Chave Sélection, "Farconnet" Hermitage, Rhône Valley, France, 2021

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. 

Farconnet was the name of a nobleman back in the time of JeanLouis Chave’s great grandfather. He was actually the man from whom the great grandfather bought the Bessards parcel.

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Winemaker
Jean-Louis Chave

Origin
Hermitage AOC, Rhône Valley, France

Grapes/Blend
Syrah

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
An adept Syrah, dense aromas of cigar box live large on the palate magnified by dollops of white pepper, thick with crushed plums and a youthful, roughened texture. This is a dark Hermitage, sinful to drink now, but one that will reward after years in the cellar. The Syrah for this wine comes from three unique sites on Hermitage Hill. Three different soils' compositions impart individual attributes to the wine. Sandy clay and pebbly soils from the base of the hill provide notes of peppery spice and sand; limestone, from a site further up the hill, provides elegant structure; and from Greffreux, at the base of Le Meal, large river stones impart the flesh and substance in this hearty red. Chave always vinifies very traditionally, using old oak vats. 

Product size: 750ml