Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage and Montes Folly Syrahs
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Syrah 2009
Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The
label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone
producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave
family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been
producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label
bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père
en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father
to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and
making wine in what we now know as the
St. Joseph appellation.
They
stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and
family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from
generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard
Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of
his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave
family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera
that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The
Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine
business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their
Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and
extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage
Blanc wine.
Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to
Syrah and are used to produce 2, Hermitage Rouge wines, JL Chave Hermitage and Chave Cuvee Cathelin.
The
vines are old, with an average age of 50 years, give or take a few
years. The remaining 4 hectare of vines are planted to 80%
Marsanne and 20%
Roussanne. The
grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the
Frey family who own
Jaboulet and Michel
Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.
The
key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes
their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used
is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come
out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.
The
vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have
vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The
red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal,
Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines
on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the
JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL
Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally
varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from
granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards
lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They
have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However,
the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their
parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even
older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are
planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite,
Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of
the oldest white wine grapes in the
Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.
Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since
1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3
wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is
destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the
production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late
in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For
the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always
fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems
might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to
vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats,
stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is
vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending
on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats
or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the
large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave
are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies
from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in
age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has
been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with
refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The
wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis
Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The
production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per
vintage.
Read more at:
https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/
Domaine JL Chave History, Overview
The
label today reads Domaine JL Chave. But the story of this Rhone
producer doesn’t start here. It goes a long way back. In fact, the Chave
family is one of the oldest names in the world of wine. They have been
producing one of the world’s greatest wines since 1481!
The label
bears an inscription commemorating this achievement, “Vignerons de Père
en Fils depuis 1481”, which is translated to, Vine growers from father
to son since 1481! The Chave family began cultivating vineyards and
making wine in what we now know as the
St. Joseph appellation.
They
stared buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865. The land and
family business of making great Rhone wine continues being passed from
generation to generation. Most recently from father to son with Gerard
Chave to Jean Louis Chave. Jean Louis Chave is the 16th generation of
his family to manage the famous Hermitage producer.
The Chave
family made the move to Hermitage following the attack of phylloxera
that struck most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century.
The
Chave family began producing wine in Mauves, when they entered the wine
business. In fact, this is where the Chave family still produces their
Hermitage wine today. In late 2014, JL Chave completed a renovation and
extension of their cellars.
Domaine Jean Louis Chave Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Wines, Winemaking
JL Chave produces 2 Hermitage Rouge wines and 1 Hermitage
Blanc wine.
Jl Chave owns 14 hectares of vines in Hermitage. 10 hectares are planted to
Syrah and are used to produce 2, Hermitage Rouge wines, JL Chave Hermitage and Chave Cuvee Cathelin.
The
vines are old, with an average age of 50 years, give or take a few
years. The remaining 4 hectare of vines are planted to 80%
Marsanne and 20%
Roussanne. The
grape vines for their white Rhone wine are even older than their red wine vines as they are mostly more than 60 years of age.
Along with the
Frey family who own
Jaboulet and Michel
Chapoutier, the Chave family owns the largest percentage of planted hectares in the Hermitage appellation.
The
key to the beauty and complexity found in JL Chave Hermitage comes
their mastery of blending. While for the red wines, the only grape used
is Syrah, the wine is produced from a melange of fruit sources that come
out of some of the best plots in the entire Hermitage appellation.
The
vineyards are dispersed over the hill of Hermitage. In total, they have
vines spread among 14 different parcels in 9 vineyards, or lieux-dits.
The
red wine grapes are planted in Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal,
Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines
on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the
JL Chave wine.
With the wide variety of terroir the vines of JL
Chave are planted in, as expected, the types of soils are equally
varied. The vineyards have a terroir of rocky soils ranging from
granite, limestone, schist, clay and sandstone soil. The Bessards
lieu-dit has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils.
They
have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However,
the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. Their
parcels located on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even
older at over 85 years of age.
The white wine grapes for Chave are
planted in 5 hectares of vines that come from Les Rocoules, L’Hermite,
Peleat, Maison Blanches and other vineyards. Les Rocoules has some of
the oldest white wine grapes in the
Northern Rhone, with vines that are more than 80 years old.
Jean Louis Chave Hermitage Rouge
Since
1991, JL Chave has been using mostly stainless steel, along with 3
wooden open top fermenters for alcoholic fermentation. The fruit is
destemmed.
Interestingly, this practice took place during the
production of wines during the 1800’s, but that fell out of favor late
in the 20th century. The fruit from each terroir is vinified separately.
For
the red wine of Chave, the grapes are usually partially, but not always
fully destemmed. In very ripe years, a portion, up to 50% of the stems
might be left on the grapes.
It really varies from vintage to
vintage. Vinification takes place in a combination of cement vats,
stainless steel and old, open, French oak barrels. Each parcel is
vinified and aged separately, until the blending takes place.
Depending
on the vintage, malolactic fermentation can take place in casks, vats
or tank. Once fermentation has been completed, the wine is moved the
large 228 liter oak barrels for ageing. The wines of Jean Louis Chave
are aged in barrel for about 18 months. The amount of new oak varies
from 10-20%, depending on the vintage.
The used barrels range in
age from 1-5 years which can come from Burgundy. Jean Louis Chave has
been reducing the amount of new oak with time. His logic is, with
refined tannins, the wine does not need that much new oak.
The
wine is blended after 18 months in barrel, usually in July. Jean Louis
Chave waits for 60-90 days after blending before bottling. The
production of Chave Hermitage rouge ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases per
vintage.
Read more at:
https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/rhone-wine-hermitage-producer-profiles/jean-louis-chave-hermitage-rhone-wine/
Fellow
Pour Boy Dr Dan was going to serve this late one night after we'd had four or five other bottles at a wine dinner. I suggested we hold it for when it could be the centerpiece of a tasting, being a 100 point wine that it is. So, we took this and another complementary
Syrah to
Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria for a festive holiday season Saturday night dinner. Yes, this release was awarded
100 points
by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points
by Wine Spectator, and 96 points
by Vinous.
Not often do we 'normal' folks get the pleasure to drink a 100 point wine. As I've written in this column about collecting and tasting, there are 'every day' wines, 'once-a-week', 'once-a-month', and 'once-a-year' wines, and then, of course, 'special occasion' and 'once-in-a-lifetime' wines. At this rating, it drives a ultra-super premium ($500+) price-point, such that for all but the very privileged few, this is in the latter rather than former categories.
This is also exceptionally extraordinary because it is a SYRAH. More often, 100 point wines tend to be Bordeaux or Burgundian varietals or blends, or perhaps vintage Ports. Very few wines of the Syrah varietal have received 100 point recognition, Penfold's Grange, arguably the top wine of Australia, and this being the only two I've seen or had the privilege of tasting.
Moreover, I admit, I am not accustomed to such lofty profiles or character for a single varietal wine based on Syrah. While we drink a lot of this varietal and it is one of our favorites, the profile is not the norm to which we are accustomed.
We recently had a similar experienced the 'other' such wine, Penfold's Grange from the 1990 vintage. Tonight's experience was much the same.
We are used to, and love, big, bold, forward, fruit forward, expressive, thick, concentrated style wines, rare, but found once in a while in Syrahs. Such wines, tend to me more one dimensional, and frankly 'over-the'top' to be considered for such rarified accolades, more afforded wines that are elegant, polished, symphonic in their perfectly balanced and harmonious presentation.
Like the Grange we drank recently, the word I would use to describe this is 'flawless'.
The Chave was dark blackish/purple colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, seamless, perfectly balanced and harmonious blackberry and black currant fruits highlighted with subtle tones of anise, smoke and hints of exotic spices and pepper.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1077097
On this evening we also opened a rare special bottling of this Chilean Syrah.
Montes Syrah Folly La Finca de Apalta 2010
Montes Folly has been cited as the best Syrah in Chile It is the first ultra-premium Syrah to be sourced from Chile. The grapes for this Montes Folly grow on the steepest hillsides of the
Finca de
Apalta vineyards in
Apalta, Colchagua, Chile, where the vines have adapted best and have found good balance
between yields and vegetative expression.
The terroir driven soils are of granitic
origin and primarily consist of decomposing rocks from high above in the
chain of mountains that crosses the valley, and therefore the soils in
this sector are rather thin and poor in organic matter with a good
percolation capacity, which enables the roots to explore the entire
profile in search of water.
The grapes are hand-selected and sorted on special selection sorting tables. The vinified wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months.
The 2016 release of this label was awarded 96 points by James Suckling.
Not in the class of the 'old world'
Northern Rhone Hermitage Chave, this 'new world' or emerging market Syrah represents the art of the possible of what is coming from the emerging wine producing regions and nascent producers.
More new world style like a big Australian Syrah with its complex concentrated forward fruits, almost obtuse when compared to the Chave, dark inky purple with blackberry and black raspberry fruits highlighted by notes of spice, cassis, currants, mocha and hints of black olive.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1479344
https://www.monteswines.com/en/
The arrival of the 'package' was texted to the broader family with the caption, "It's HERE". Actually there were two packages delivered at two times. They were opened with great ceremony with Alec and Vivianna present as we gleefully opened and sorted and laid out each item with delight.
The conversation quickly centered on memories of our gala trip and pledges to return again soon and often and to coax our French Friends to come visit us in America. 
The Winemaker's Notes for this release cite, "Bright
red color with darker hints. On the nose, rich red berries suchas black
currant and ripe cherry with a soft spicy touch. On thepalate soft
tannins, showing berry fruits and sweet spices as well"
