About this WINE
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
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Description
The Chave dynasty needs no introduction. Since 1483, when England was enduring the War of the Roses, the Chaves have been been producing white and red Hermitage of the highest quality, their quality in point of fact almost embarrassingly better than that of all of the other producers on the famous hillside. The latest scion is Jean Louis, erudite and affable by turn, his natural ability enhanced by an international education, in particular at the University of California Davis. The only problem with Jean-Louis’ Hermitage vineyard is that it only covers 15 hectares, huge, it has to be said, in terms of Hermitage itself, but tiny in the grand scheme of things. Jean Louis’ solution was to set up a Négociant company, JL Chave Selection working closely with friends with well-placed vineyards in order to expand his offering and share his skills. The Offerus in St Joseph is a superb example, its fruit sourced from only old vines in the communes of Mauves and Tournon (known as ‘le berceau’ or the cradle of St Joseph, lending granitic grip, ripeness of fruit and a supremely harmonious texture. The wine's maturation is entirely in the very capable hands of M. Chave…. and the results are, unsurprisingly, superb!
(Simon Field MW, BBR Rhône Buyer)
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