The Chave family have been making wine in the Northern Rhone Valley since 1481. First in Saint Joseph, and then adding parcels of Hermitage - the appellation with which they are nearly synonymous. Jean-Louis Chave steers the domain, having taken over from his father the Gerard (one of just a few Chave men not named Jean-Louis in a very long line). Jean-Louis is fanatical about the farming in the vineyards, the preservation of the reputation of Hermitage and Saint Joseph, and the telling of their histories. Jean-Louis knows each parcel of the vineyards intimately and uses the grapes from each like instruments in an orchestra to bring about pure wine magic. 

Wine Advocate:

"2022 was the earliest harvest in the estate's history. Jean-Louis Chave harvested the Roucoule and Péléat plots on August 23-24, while Maison Blanche and Ermite were picked on August 28. The 2022 Hermitage Blanc reveals a complex, ripe bouquet of almonds, white flowers, honey and spices mingled with baked orchard fruits. Full-bodied and concentrated, the palate is rich and dense with a suave texture, a multidimensional core of fruit framed by chalky dry extracts and a delicate, phenolic, gastronomic bitterness. Slightly austere at this stage, this gastronomic wine is built for the cellar."