2020 J.L. Chave Selection 'Farconnet' Hermitage Northern Rhône

Winemaker Notes: In classic Chave style this starts out with all of the cracked pepper, lavender and gamey notes Syrah in a perfect spot can give you. Then you find the lightness that sets Chave apart from the pack. Not that the weight is missing, it's just a delicate almost pinot like texture that only a master of their craft can execute. A wonderful wine that can easily gain complexity with a decade or so in the cellar.

Jean-Louis Chave Selections, his négociant line which sources grapes from various areas in the northern Rhône, represents a more accessible way for the consumer to experience the wines of the Chave family. “Mon Coeur” Côtes-du-Rhône is a blend of excellent plots in Vinsobres, Visan, Buisson, and Estargues while “Silène” Crozes-Hermitage is 50% estate Syrah and 50% purchased. As with all things Chave, quality is eminent even at the entry level. The Chave family's methods for their winemaking include traditional farming, super low yields, full ripeness, and minimal manipulation. Their unmatched meticulousness continues through five centuries to render venerable expressions of the purest of northern Rhône terroir.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Vinous - "Saturated violet color. Smoky, mineral-accented black and blue fruit scents are complicated by olive paste, licorice and floral nuances that build in the glass. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, offering vibrant blackberry, boysenberry, candied violet and smoky bacon flavors that become sweeter with air. The floral and mineral notes come back strong on the penetrating finish, which shows outstanding persistence and fine-grained, harmonious tannins."