The Chaves know something about winemaking, having been producing wines in the Northern Rhone for six centuries! Gérard Chave and his son Jean-Louis are so in tune with their region that the wines they produce are the perfect expression of terroir. The Chaves own around 40 acres on the hill of Hermitage from the greatest vineyards, including very old vine parcels in Les Rocoules, Les Bessards, Péléat, Les Beaumes, and Le Méal, plus slightly younger vines in l’Hermite. Each of these vineyards delivers a different aromatic and textural profile, and when masterfully blended, they create a far more complete wine than they would individually. However, in select vintages, Jean-Louis produces a Les Bessards dominant wine called Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin. Jean-Louis vinifies each vineyard separately, allowing the wines to age in barrel for one year before blending. This meticulous and time-consuming process requires an exceptional nose and palate to achieve perfection in each vintage.