Jean-Louis Chave : Mon Coeur 2017

A Masterfully Crafted Wine from a Historic Wine Family

The Chave family has been producing wine since 1481, making them one of the oldest names in the world of wine. Located in the St. Joseph appellation of Rhone, the family winery has been passed down through 16 generations of family. The Jean Louis Chave Selections is a negociant line that sources organically grown grapes through sharecropping from various areas in the Northern Rhone, allowing for a more accessible wine made by the Chave family.

The Cotes du Rhone Mon Coeur is a beautiful blend of Syrah, Grenache and a dash of Mourvedre. The grapes come from four select vineyard sites with vines ranging from 20 to 60 years old. The soils are mostly limestone and produce full flavored concentrated red wines. The wine is bursting with ripe cherries and red berry notes with a hint of spice. On the palate the wine is powerful with flavors of black raspberry, biter cherries and pepper on the finish. The wine is structured and tannic with a long fruit forward finish. The Chave winemaking method is very traditional with low yield farming, minimal new oak, little to no intervention and filtering. The family’s key to these delicious wines is their ability to blend each vintage to perfection. The Syrah is used mostly as a backbone, while the Grenache and Mourvedre add texture and complexities for a balanced and gorgeous wine.