Jean-Louis Chave, Offerus, Saint-Joseph

Jean-Louis Chave is the 16th consecutive generation of his family to farm Syrah in France’s northern Rhône Valley. He is a quiet and understated man who, unlike many of his peers, prefers to spend his time in the vineyard, rather than jet setting around to rub elbows with critics and wealthy collectors. The Chave estate’s reputation is built entirely on centuries of manual labor and legendary wine. There are no vanity projects on the side, and little if any effort is paid to marketing, PR, or building “hype” around the wines—a google search reveals that the estate doesn’t even have a website! But it is obvious when drinking Jean-Louis’ wines that he has devoted all resources to what matters most—his terroir. The family’s involvement in viticulture originated in the present day Saint-Joseph appellation before proceeding north to the hill of Hermitage. Despite the prestige and stratospheric prices of the Jean-Louis’ Hermitage reds, the family cellar remains across the river in Saint-Jo