In the words of James Molesworth: "You may not have heard of this domaine before, but it won't be a secret much longer.  Chave is making superb wines".  Wine Spectator Online, Nov. 30, 2006.
 

Yann, 36, has taken over from his father, Bernard Chave, and in 2001 the name of the Domaine became Yann Chave.  It consists of 14,77 ha (35.4 acres) of Crozes Rouge, 1,20 ha (2.8 acres) of  Hermitage, 0,76 ha (1.8 acres) of Crozes Blanc.  The blanc is 70%  Marsanne and 30% Roussane.  (2006 is the first vintage we will be able to get).  The Crozes "Classique" is a selection of vines all situated in the secteur "Chassis";  ranging from 18 to 40 years.  Elevage is 20% in 2 year demi-muids and 80 % in tank with micro-oxygenation.   The Rouvre is a single parcel in Chassis, his best parcel of Crozes, very "caillouteux" (large rounded stones) and the vines  average 50 years-old.   It is pure "vin de goutte" and is aged entirely in 1-2 year old demi-muids.  The Hermitage is from two parcels, one in Baumes (next to Le Méal) and the other in "Péléat" :  average age  25 years.  The wine is aged in 100% new demi-muids.
 

Pumping over is done twice a day but Yann does very little punching down (pigeage)- only two times altogether during the 3 weeks of vinification.  He works hard in the vineyards - low yields, harvesting later at optimum phenolic maturity, natural viticulture, indigenous yeasts and no filtering -  if you like loads of Syrah fruit and lots of texture on the palate, these are wines for you.

For techinial sheets on each wine please see the following link: Yann Chave 2005 Crozes Hermitage White, 2005 Crozes Hermitage Classique Red, 2005 Crozes Hermitage Red "Le Rouvre", 2005 Hermitage Red