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Producers
Jean-Louis Chave
One of the oldest, if not the oldest Rhone Valley wines still producing today, Maison Jean-Louis Chave can trace their history back to 1481. Rated fourth on the Top Ten of most wanted wines from the Rhone Valley, Jean-Louis Chave offers consistent (investors, take note of the c-word) quality with consistent top scores to match. Currently in its 16th generation of Chaves, suffice to say that when it comes to wine, Jean-Louis Chave knows his stuff.
Rhone Valley Dynasty
Currently managed by father-son team Gérard and Jean-Louis, the Chaves are as close to viticultural royalty as you can get. Their incredibly deep regional roots account for some of the constant excellence of their wine, but more tangible is the beautiful blending, the expert farming of their Hermitage hill terroir and the understanding of what that terroir can give: vigour, controlled ageing, subtlety and supreme elegance. The blends are revisited every year; starting from scratch Gérard and Jean-Louis will consider every factor prior to deciding on the percentages of their assemblages. An example of the Hermitage blanc final blend is 80 to 85% Marsanne with 15 to 20% Roussanne.
The darling of wine critics
Scoring 100 point perfection for 2010 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage from influential Robert Parker, this has understandably pushed prices up. Wine writer John Livingstone-Learmonth describes Chave wines as: "Hermitage as it should be" while wine writer Joss Fowler calls him: "the Mugnier of the northern Rhône". In fact, as Jason Yapp says, "The only real problem with Chave wines is getting hold of any."
Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin
With such high praise, serious investors are going to need to push the boat out if they want to get their hands on a bottle of Jean-Louis Chave - forget about a case as in early Q2 2019 only one bottle of the fabled 2009 Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin was available on the worldwide market at a whopping €7,750. Eye-wateringly expensive yes, but still cheaper than the house record, set by the 2003 for €8,512, sold in February 2018. The 1990, 2003, 2009 and 2010 vintages have all been awarded the maximum score, and are set to skyrocket, as Chave recently announced he would be stopping production of this label.
Notable facts and vintages
  • Among the top Hermitage wines, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage was particularly celebrated in its 2012 vintage, garnering “2 Stars Coup de Coeur” from Le Guide Hachette des Vins, Jancis Robinson’s 19/20, and 96 points from Robert Parker Wine Advocate. Described as “a brilliant wine” by Jeb Dunnuck who also gave 96 points at a tasting in March 2019, suggesting “it will keep for another 25 years or more”.
  • Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Vin de Paille is made in tiny quantities from grapes dried on straw mats. This dessert wine commands the highest prices for white Hermitage (a half-bottle averages around €2,214 on wine-searcher in 2019’s Q2) - many vintages scoring in the high 90s. Investors fortunate enough to get their hands on this rare wine can expect a long life, such as the 98 point 1997 vintage which Robert Parker Wine Advocate advises drinking in 2099.
  • 2016 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Clos Florentin: Joshua Raynolds for Vinous notes “I'm guessing there won't be many Hermitages that will match this wine for sheer elegance as well as depth” in a June 2018 tasting which he rated 93-95 points. It is no surprise this organic and biodynamic St Joseph made from 100% Syrah is commanding the highest prices on wine-searcher, averaging €135 in 2019 Q2.