Jean-Louis Chave - Hermitage Farconnet 2018
Chave Hermitage Farconnet 2007 - Can an $85 bottle of wine be a Cellar Defender?
When you drive up the Rhone valley from the south and approach the village of Tain l"Hermitage and see the imposing face of the Hermitage hill and its steep vineyards, you can't help but echo what the first Romans to glimpse it must have thought: This place HAS to make great wine. Centuries later, it still holds true and this exceptional terroir (along with Cote Rotie just up river) is where the Syrah grape reaches its pinnacle of excellence, producing one of the greatest red wines in the world. And in this exceptional terroir, the wines of Jean Louis Chave are constantly some of the best. Passed down from father to son since 1481 and is now run by Jean Louis, who oversees their operations that include the superb value priced Mon Couer Cotes du Rhone (our wine of the month for June), their terrific Saint Joseph Blanc et Rouges, and on to their magnificent Hermitage Rouge and Blanc.
The Hill at Hermitage is situated on the eastern side of the Rhone, carved off from the hills on the west bank that extend far into the interior of France. It is comprised of granite based soils, especially in the western end, but is complex and varied including some alpine glacial deposits in the eastern end and a mix throughout. As a result there are 18 named vineyards each with its own individual characteristics. Chave owns vines in nine, and part of the Chave philosophy is that the characteristics of each parcel play a role in creating the quality and style of their Hermitage and allows them to make the beautifully crafted wines that they do. While many think of Hermitage as a "big" wine, and it is fulsome no doubt, but each grower here seems to have their own style and interpretation stemming in part from where their vines lie on the hill and that environment impacts the grapes, and partly from winemaking decisions and methods. The Chave style captures the power and drive that is classic Hermitage, but also has that elusive ability to marry power with finesse, structure with elegance, with incredible depth and complexity. The wine, full on as it is, has a harmony and equilibrium that only the best seem to be able to manage to capture.
Part of the success of the Chave Hermitage, a wine selling in excess of $200, is that is is an assemblage or selection of wines from their nine parcels of vines on the hill. As a result, there is often a little extra wine, that while it may be perfectly suitable for the Hermitage, just does't fit into the blend. This wine has been declassified, incorporated into other Chave wines or sold to other wineries. But in 2007 they felt that the quality was there to create a second cuvee of Hermitage, not the same as the flagship of course, a second label of sorts called Farconett, which our old buddy Joe Bembry brought to my attention last week. And what a wine! Deep dark ruby purple in color, a classic Hermitage nose to violets, cassis, pepper and a hint of black olive, spice and vanilla. On the palate it has a great entry, lovely solid cassis and dark fruits, a tinge of anise, brambly blackberry, ripe tannins and good underlying acidity to keep it fresh and pure and delineated on the palate. Perhaps not the power and complexity of the Hermitage at $200+ (a wine that also needs a decade or more of bottle age before it truly shines), but a truly beautiful wine that gets at the essence of this great terroir, is reasonably affordable, has so much of the hallmark elements of the Grand Vin. And in true "second wine" style, delivers it all in a wine that is much more approachable (drink now and over the next 4-7+ years) and while not inexpensive, at a fraction of the price and is a superb value. Begs the question can an $85 wine sell be a Cellar Defender? This wine says yes, if you consider that everything, including a bargain, is relative!
Region: Hermitage, Rhone, France
Grapes: Syrah
Drink: 2013 - 2020+
