J.L Chave Selection, Mon Coeur Cotes du Rhone, 2023

The Chave family have been winemakers for over 500 years and are synonymous with the Northern Rhone and in particular Hermitage. Many would consider their domaine 'Hermitage' to be the pinnacle of what can be produced with the Syrah grape. JL Chave Sélection was born when Jean-Louis discovered that some of his Hermitage ‘off-cuts’ – those that didn’t make the final exact Domaine blend and were sold-off in bulk – weren’t being blended as instructed but were being bottled individually and sold by négociants as some sort of ‘Deuxieme Chave’ label. It was highly irritating to JL that others would profit from both the Chave name and vineyard work so, with his wife Erin, he created a separate entity. This allows him the option to buy in parcels of fruit – when and where they think the quality is outstanding – but, more significantly, to make use of young vines and barrels of excess finished wine which JL doesn’t think ‘fit’ into the regal domaine wines.