“The Chave family achieved star status for producing extraordinary quality wines on the Hermitage hill”.
Soil Specificity
The soils in the Rhone Valley are the result of a geological collision between the Massif Central and the Alps, creating the valley. This region can be split into two sub-regions, Northern and Southern Rhône. The granitic rocks of Northern Rhône are the consequences of volcanic activity in the Massif Central three hundred million years ago. From Vienne to Valence, granite soils and very narrow steep slopes over are making ideal the cultivation of Syrah on terraced vineyards, bordered by walls that retain the earth.
History / Ethos
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is unquestionably one of the great wine estates of France with long history of winemaking. The family comes from the Ardèche, and the Domaine is now located in the village of Mauves. The Domaine is one of the largest owner of land on the Hermitage Hill but also the ones defining the benchmark for the appellation. They also apply the recipe of low yields and healthy fruit in the vineyards to make great wines in the Saint-Joseph and Côtes du Rhône appellations.