Jean-Louis Chave — the wines we carry

Established in 1481 and crafting Hermitage wines for six centuries, this historic domaine is based in the town of Mauves. Jean-Louis Chave, the sixteenth-generation proprietor, is a man of gentle and earnest character who places vineyard work above all else. Some of the world’s most profound wines are born in an underground cellar so shrouded in pitch-black silence that one must step beneath scattered electric lights simply to write tasting notes. The vineyards dedicated to Hermitage total 28 hectares, divided into several parcels for both red and white varieties. Each parcel features distinct soils that impart unique characteristics to the wine, and consequently, they are vinified separately. Perched on the steep slopes characteristic of the Rhône, these vineyards are planted with Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, and Grenache across a mosaic of soil types. Harvest is notably later than that of neighboring producers; they wait patiently for optimal ripeness, severely restricting yields to harvest only the most concentrated grapes. The whites are vinified with 80% in barrel and the remainder in stainless steel tanks, while the reds are aged exclusively in barrel for 18 to 24 months. Guided by Jean-Louis’s conviction that "Hermitage is a wine of assemblage," the separately vinified parcels undergo rigorous, repeated tastings before being brought together in a masterful final blend. 株式会社フィネス資料