Alcohol: 13.5%
Grape(s): 100% Syrah
Localization: Hermitage, Rhone Valley, France
Tasting Notes: Fresh on the palate, with a generous, full-bodied and complex mid-palate. The palate reveals fresh black fruits, spices and hints of graphite. Dense, well-integrated tannins. A structured, full-bodied, racy wine.
Notes: At sunrise, the harvest begins. The grapes are then destemmed and the vinification process is natural, with no inputs. We use gentle pumping over throughout fermentation to promote smooth extraction. Vatting lasts 4 weeks.
The wines are then aged for 12 months in new demi-muids (600L), and for one year to enhance the finesse of the tannins. Finally, they rest for a further 6 months in vats before bottling.
Food pairing: This complex, concentrated and voluminous wine is perfect with: Lamb shoulder confit, creamy risotto and garlic jacket, Beef filet en croûte, mushroom duxelles and seared green asparagus, Pan-fried duck fillet, duchesse potatoes and glazed carrots.
The Domain: Yann took over from his father, Bernard Chave, and in 2001 the name of the Domaine became Yann Chave. It consists of 16,77 Ha of Crozes Rouge, 1,20 Ha of Hermitage, 1,50 Ha of Crozes Blanc. The Rouvre is a single parcel in Chassis, his best parcel of Crozes, very "caillouteux" (large rounded stones) and the vines average 60 years-old. It is pure "vin de goutte" and is aged entirely in 1-2 year old demi-muids. The Hermitage is from two parcels, one in Baumes (next to Le Méal) and the other in Péléat: average age is 30 years. The wine is aged in 600L demi-muids, a size well-suited for Syrah and does not over oak the wine. Yann harvests late, for maximum phenolic ripeness. He has very little Hermitage, but makes one of the best-value Crozes-Hermitage available.
