2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave: Preserving Proud Family Traditions

Jean-Louis Chave – the name alone raises the excitement of lovers of the few bottles that come from this man's hands.  

Today, Jean-Louis is in charge of the Chave domain, but in fact, the family history of the Rhône mastodon has deep wine roots. Chave is one of the oldest names in the world of wine, and since 1481, they have been producing world-famous wines from Rhône – generation after generation. 

The Best Of The Northern Rhône – The Mountain Of The Hermit

The Hermitage Hill has its name from a chapel on top, which according to history, was built by Gaspard de Stérimberg in the 13th century. He returned wounded from the Great Crusades and settled here as a hermit. 

Hermitage in the northern Rhône is a magical terroir that has the potential to produce some of France's and the world's greatest wines. It is here that Domaine Chave has a microscopic production of one of the house's top wines second only to the legendary Cuvée Cathelin. Historically, the wines from here have been rated on par with the best from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Italy. 

It is definitely in Hermitage that the Chave family has made its name and reputation over the past several generations. The latest high quality Chave wines come from the appellation on the other side of the Saint-Joseph river. 

High Scores Are Not A One-Time Phenomenon

We have to go all the way back to the 00s to find a vintage rated lower than 95 points by Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. This is evidence of a winemaker with a very high bottom line, with the 2018 vintage looking to be climbing towards a top level for Chave, despite strong competition.  

At Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, quality wine is produced in limited quantities. Less than 30,000 bottles are produced annually of the quality red drops from Hermitage by Chave. 

Positive Trends In Rhône

According to Liv-ex, the British wine exchange, things are looking good in Rhône. In fact, the Rhône 100 is the second-best Liv-ex 100 sub-index over the past 18 months, second only to the Champagne 50. 

In July 2021, 8 out of 10 wines from the Rhône index experienced a positive development. Among the 8 is Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. The Rhône is moving steadily to the top. 

RareWine Invest's Opinion

With a well-established name in the wine world backed up by consistently high scores, the path is already paved with investment potential. The 2018 vintage of Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage is a microscopic production, and that means demand is going to exceed supply. 

Add to this, that this vintage can potentially reach 100 points, which will make the demand and price increase even further - even in the short run. We believe this vintage has long-term investment potential. Both because it is already highly rated, but also because, investment-wise, Rhône is an area that is moving upwards.  

The 2018 vintage is also compared to the best vintages from Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, which is a quality stamp in itself. The long-term investment potential is undeniably present, and if the vintage finally rates at the high end, the short-term potential will follow suit. And we should not forget that the brand can also influence a wine's popularity, and here, we are at the very top of the ranking. Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is the KING of the Rhône Valley.