Chave
Domaine Jean Louis Chave is a true household name in the Rhône. With a history dating back to 1481, it is one of the oldest domains in the region. Over the years, the winery has always remained in the family and currently Jean-Louis Chave, the 16th generation, is at the helm. Which is very special, as few wineries have been owned by one family for so long.
The winery can be found in the village of Mauves in the Ardeche department. Its 14 hectares of vineyards are spread over 11 different plots in Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. This places Chave among the top three largest landowners in Hermitage. The terraced plots are planted with syrah, marsanne and roussanne. With 11 different plots, each plot has its own microclimate, but the terroir is largely characterised by rocky soils with granite, clay and limestone. The age of the vines is between 30 and 80 years. The high age ensures low but very good yields.
Each plot is harvested and fermented separately. Only when the vinification process is complete are the wines blended. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, cement vats or old open casks of French oak. The choice depends on the terroir and vintage. The wines are then aged for an average of 18 months in 228-litre oak barrels. A combination of stainless steel and old oak is used for the fermentation and maturation of Hermitage Blanc. In absolute peak years, the winery produces the very rare Cuvée Cathelin. Only 200 cases are released per release. Chave also produces a small quantity of Vin de Paille and Côtes du Rhône wines. The latter are marketed under the name JL Chave Séléctions.
Domaine J.L Chave's legendary vintages are: 1990, 2003, 2009, 2010 and 2018. These years have been rated with nothing less than 100 Parker points. In 2003 and in 2009, the winery received the maximum number of points not once, but twice and three times respectively! These were Chave Hermitage, Cuvée Cathelin and in 2009 also Hermitage Blanc. An extraordinary achievement!
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