J.L. Chave Selections

Wines from Jean-Louis Chave are mostly priced for the auction house.

The famed producer from France’s Northern Rhone has five centuries of family experience upon which to draw. Yet, there’s a inexpensive backdoor entrance to the wines of Chave: “Offerus.,” the Saint-Joseph syrah. It doesn’t have the cache of Chave’s wines from Hermitage, but it is crafted with the same meticulous approach.

The 2020 ($42) had anise, white flower and white pepper on the nose, blackberrry, iron, garrigue, wild game and white pepper flavors. It was cool climate syrah at its finest.

J.L. Chave Selections “Offerus: from France’s Saint-Joseph is an excellent example of cool-climate syrah.