This is one of the great names in Hermitage which has earned its reputation over a very long period of time (dating back to 1481!). There are no gimicks here and no shortcuts. Chave doesn't use any new oak, so the wines tend to be less showy in their youth than many but given time they lead the field with their subtlety and complexity. Ripe fruit is vital to Chave's success and he is a stickler for late picking. Low yields are also very important and fruit which is not considered to be of a sufficient standard is sold off to negociants. The juice is then allowed to evolve itself with a minimum of intervention; no fining, and no filtering.
Chave releases his wines later than most and hence we are offering the 2004s now. We will offer 2005 next Spring. Very limited quantities sadly.