The Chave family is the epitome of 'People, Place and Time'. They have been vignerons in the Rhône valley since 1481 - an astonishing 16 generations. Originally the family farmed only in St. Joseph, moving to Hermitage about a century ago when phylloxera swept through the region. Today Chave Hermitage Rouge and Hermitage Blanc are generally regarded as the appellation's greatest wines. 

In recent years Jean Louis has begun the painstaking process of restoring the steep St. Joseph terraces that his family has farmed for centuries, and has slowly begun to acquire and restore the steep plots that were abandoned in the wake of pyhlloxera (today most of the AC's production comes from the valley bottom and not the steep well exposed hillsides). This is very compelling news for lovers of Rhône wines since historically St. Joseph has been the most underrated appellation in the Northern Rhône. Jean Louis has also begun producing négociant wines under the name JL Chave Selections. The 'Mon Couer' Côtes-du-Rhône , 'Offerus' St. Joseph, 'Silene' Crozes Hermitage, 'Blanche' Hermitage Blanc, 'Farconnet' Hermitage Rouge all provide enlightening insights into the talent of Jean-Louis, who Robert Parker calls one of "the planet's greatest winemakers".

All of these wines are outstanding examples of how fastidious traditional winegrowing can articulate a profound sense of place, but the Mon Couer' Côtes-du-Rhône is truly exceptional. A 60/40 blend of grenache and syrah, it is a complex, multi-faceted expression of Southern Rhone terroir, combining impressions of herbs, pepper, sun-baked earth, ripe red fruit, smokiness, and an indefinable feral gaminess that is quintessentially ' Rhône'. Fresh and juicy yet decidedly grippy, it is a sumptuous drink that punches far above its weight. Supremely well-balanced and therefore highly adaptable, it can be enjoyed with everything from winter braises to summer barbecues. Of course it will reward cellaring, in a way that only the very best-value wines can...and speaking of best value, when you consider the stylistic and qualitative relationship between 'Mon Couer' and its more illustrious Chave siblings, it is hard to imagine better value anywhere.