Description
Jean-Louis Chave Sélection, Hermitage “Farconnet”
A few months back, we had the once-per-year honor of offering the new release of J-L Chave’s iconic “L’Hermitage,” a monumental French red that stands right alongside the greatest labels of our time. And although it costs a small fortune—and is perpetually scaling the price ladder—the world hasn’t stopped quarreling over each allocation because these ageless cellar magnets produce a deeply spiritual and moving experience. That’s why Chave’s second, albeit much-smaller-production Hermitage excites so many: “Farconnet” is sourced from the same legendary hillside and raised with the same painstaking detail—for four times less.
So what exactly is the difference? Chave uses both estate and purchased fruit from the various lieux-dits of famed Hermitage, and ages it six months less. To be clear, this doesn’t have a 50-year lifespan like his coveted “L’Hermitage” (more like 20); still, for a fraction of the cost, this bottle overflows with Hermitage’s deeply brooding and chiseled terroir. That’s why whenever we have the rare chance to offer today’s $85 treasure, it sells out infinitely quicker than Chave’s hallowed $325+ flagship bottling. So, if you weren’t quick enough to snag his “L’Hermitage,” are seeking a more affordable option, or greedily want both cuvées in your cellar (I support this), here’s your one shot to acquire Chave’s phenomenal 2017 “Farconnet.”
It’s hard for any serious wine professional to dispute that Chave Hermitage has earned a place on the very short list of the world’s finest and most historic wines. Since the 1400s, generations of this family have hand-farmed this same hillside and, in doing so, they’ve created one of the world’s most influential wine dynasties. It is impossible to tell the story of France’s Rhône valley or the Syrah grape without referencing this family’s enormous contribution.
As one drives north through the Rhône valley toward Burgundy, the hill of Hermitage dominates the horizon. This towering granite hillside looms over the village of Tain and is world renowned for producing deep, timeless, cellar-worthy Syrah. One of my favorite wine scholars, Jancis Robinson MW, has said that in the entire northern Rhône valley “no one is more respected than Domaine Jean-Louis Chave.” And it’s true: this is a region/style/variety-defining wine that graces virtually every great three-star Michelin wine list I’ve ever seen. Today, we are offering Chave’s “Farconnet” Hermitage bottling—a blend of estate-owned and purchased fruit from new and old vines alike (10-60 years of age) in the lieux-dits of Greffieux, Diognières, and Péleat. Note that the fruit Chave does purchase only comes from growers he has long, trusted relationships with.
While far less costly than Jean-Louis Chave’s iconic “L’Hermitage,” it’s neither fair nor accurate to label “Farconnet” a lesser second label or négociant wine. On the contrary, it is a chiseled, profound, and extremely serious Syrah vinified in his gorgeous new cellar in Mauves. Hundreds of Northern Rhone reds come across my desk each year but only a select few can rival this bottle’s terroir and deep, brooding core of minerality. With a long, undisturbed fermentation in tonneaux and stainless steel, plus 24 months of aging in mostly used French barriques, this is a powerful, calculated Syrah beast; a world-class Hermitage through and through.
Look no further if you seek a deeply polished fistful of wild blackberries, black raspberry liqueur, licorice, currants, atomized granite, dried Asian spices, olive tapenade, and the indelible pepper-meets-cured meat savor that makes Hermitage one of the most prominent hillside sites on Earth. What stands out in today’s 2017 versus the previous vintage is its intense raw power. The full-bodied palate is broad, muscular, and expansive—it’s begging for a two-hour decant or a two-year slumber in your cellar (it will keep improving for another 10-15+ years). Whenever you choose to open it, this burly, luxurious tour de force is guaranteed to burn an everlasting image of Northern Rhône Syrah into your brain. And remember, the Chave family has been producing wine since the 1500s, so I encourage you to get medieval in the kitchen when pairing with food. Cheers!
