Jean-Louis Chave’s Hermitage “Farconnet” 2020 is a Northern Rhône Syrah made under the J.L. Chave Sélection label, sourced from purchased fruit rather than the domaine’s own estate parcels. It is still firmly rooted on the Hermitage hill, drawing primarily from Diognières with additional lots from Péleat and Les Greffieux. The wine is listed at about 15% alcohol and remains dry (around 2 g/L residual sugar). Jeb Dunnuck notes it was “brought up mostly in used barrels,” aiming for polish without overt new oak impact.

Professional reviews are notably strong across the board, with three excellent scores in the mid-90s. Vinous rated it 95 points, highlighting a “saturated violet color” and aromas of “smoky, mineral-accented black and blue fruit” layered with “olive paste, licorice and floral nuances.” On the palate, Vinous calls it “juicy and energetic,” emphasizing “vibrant blackberry, boysenberry, candied violet and smoky bacon flavors” and a finish with “outstanding persistence and fine-grained, harmonious tannins.”

Jeb Dunnuck scored it 94 and leans into the classic Hermitage register: “ripe black fruits, gamey, peppery meats, violets, bouquet garni, and saddle leather.” He describes a “medium to full-bodied Hermitage that’s beautifully balanced,” with a “terrific core of sweet fruit,” “ripe, sweet tannins,” and “a great finish,” adding that despite coming from “a ripe vintage,” it “stays pure and graceful, with nothing out of place.” His drinking window is expansive: “over the coming 10–15 years.”

Wine Spectator (94 points) similarly praises its terroir character, calling it “an excellent expression of place,” marked by “smoke, graphite and olive tapenade notes, plus a hint of truffle,” and an “elegant, well-meshed and focused frame.” Wine Spectator suggests drinking “now through 2032.”