Last month, we had the humble honor of offering J-L Chave’s iconic “L’Hermitage,” a monumental French wine that stands alongside the greatest labels of all time. And although it costs a small fortune, the world hasn’t stopped quarreling over every allocation because each dreamlike bottle produces a deeply spiritual and moving experience. That’s why Chave’s second, albeit much-smaller-production “Farconnet” Hermitage excites so many: it’s made from the same legendary hillside and raised with the same painstaking detail—for over four times less.
So what exactly is the difference? Chave uses both domaine and purchased fruit from Hermitage, and ages it six months less. That’s it! I’m sure you can imagine that whenever we have the rare chance to offer today’s hallowed $75 treasure, it sells infinitely quicker than Chave’s $300+ flagship bottling. If you weren’t quick enough to snag his “L’Hermitage,” are simply looking for a more affordable option, or greedily want both cuvées in your cellar (I don't blame you), this is your one-time shot to acquire his 2016 “Farconnet.” To be clear, this doesn’t have a 50-year lifespan like his coveted “L’Hermitage”—more like 20! Still, for a fraction of the cost, this bottle overflows with classic Hermitage terroir and is the go-to choice if pulling the cork sooner rather than later. Very limited quantities exist!
It’s hard for any serious wine professional to dispute that Chave Hermitage has earned a place on the very short list of the world’s finest and most historic wines. Since the 1400s, generations of this family have hand-farmed this same hillside and, in doing so, they’ve created one of the world’s most influential wine dynasties. It is impossible to tell the story of France’s Rhône valley or the Syrah grape without referencing this family’s enormous contribution.
As one drives north through the Rhône valley toward Burgundy, the hill of Hermitage dominates the horizon. This towering granite hillside looms over the village of Tain and is world renowned for producing deep, timeless, cellar-worthy Syrah. One of my favorite wine scholars, Jancis Robinson MW, has said that in the entire northern Rhône valley “no one is more respected than Domaine Jean-Louis Chave.” And it’s true: this is a region/style/variety-defining wine that graces virtually every great 3-star Michelin wine list I’ve ever seen. Today, we are offering Chave’s “Farconnet” Hermitage bottling—a blend of estate-owned and purchased fruit from new and old vines alike in the lieux-dits of Greffieux, Diognières, and Péleat. Note that the fruit Chave does purchase only comes from growers that he has personally had long, trusted relationship with.
While far less costly than Jean-Louis Chave’s iconic “L’Hermitage,” it’s neither fair nor accurate to simply label this 2016 Hermitage “Farconnet” as “second label” or “négociant” wine.” On the contrary, it is a chiseled, extremely serious wine that blends both his Syrah and closely trusted growers’ Syrah in his gorgeous new cellar in Mauves. Hundreds of Northern Rhone reds come across my desk each year but only a select few can rival this bottle’s terroir and deep, brooding core of minerality.
“Farconnet” is a world-class Hermitage through and through. With a long, undisturbed fermentation in tonneaux and stainless steel, plus 24 months of aging in mostly used French barriques, this is a powerful, calculated Syrah beast. Look no further if you seek a fistful of blackberries, black raspberry liqueur, licorice, currants, atomized granite, dried Asian spices, olive tapenade, and the indelible pepper-meets-cured meat savor that makes Hermitage one of the most prominent hillside sites on Earth. The palate is broad, dense, muscular, and expansive, with a dark-fruited and mineral/herbal core that stretches the finish for minutes on end. It’s a burly, luxurious tour de force that will burn an everlasting image of Northern Rhône Syrah into your brain. This will most certainly improve for another 10+ years if cellared properly, but no one should hesitate to pull the cork today. Simply decant for at least two hours before sharing in large Bordeaux stems at 60F degrees. And remember, the Chave family has been producing wine since the 1500s, so I encourage you to get medieval in the kitchen. Call your favorite local butcher and command him or her to reserve a whole lamb shoulder in honor of today’s regal wine!
