Domaine Louis Cheze

The history of Domaine Louis Cheze

In 1978, Louis Chèze took over Domaine Chèze, a family estate. At the time, he had one hectare of Saint Joseph and leased vines. At the time, the family estate was mainly devoted to livestock breeding and farming. Louis Chèze was determined to launch his own wine production, and the lack of adequate infrastructure initially led him to deal with a négociant. Nothing could dampen his spirits, not even the steep plots and granite soils. Fortunately, the region's sunny climate and temperate climate make it ideal for growing Syrah (an essential grape variety for producing great red wines). Thanks to Louis Chèze's hard work and passion, the Domaine Chèze enjoyed a meteoric rise to 35 hectares of prestigious appellations: Condrieu, Saint-Joseph and Vins de Pays. A passionate self-taught man, Louis Chèze can be proud of his success. Through various encounters, he became aware of the incredible potential of his vines. In love with his region, he joined forces with a local group of winegrowers to create "Les Vignobles de Seyssuel", bringing the Roman terroir back to life!

The vinification of Domaine Louis Chèze wines

Vinification is of course specific to red and white wines. All are harvested by hand. The main differences in vinification concern fermentation (a mix of malolactic and alcoholic fermentation for the whites, and malolactic fermentation only for the reds), the duration of ageing, and the volume of the harvest boxes (10 kg for the whites versus 35 kg for the reds).

Characteristics of Domaine Louis Cheze wines

Red wines

The white wines produced by the estate include AOP Condrieu, AOP Saint-Joseph, Vignobles de Seyssuel and Vins de Pays. Several cuvées are available in these ranges. White wines can be kept for 2 to 4 years, and should be served at a temperature of 8 to 11°C. They accompany white meats, lobster, fish in sauce (notably Cuvée Ro-Rée) as well as aperitifs and mixed salads (Cuvée Sixtus).

White wines

The range of red wines includes AOP Saint-Joseph, AOP Côte-Rôtie, Vignobles de Seyssuel and Vins de Pays. Only Cuvée 50 of the Vins de Pays blends Syrah and Merlot in equal proportions. All other cuvées are 100% Syrah. Ageing potential varies: from 1 to 5 years for Cuvée Ro-Rée (AOP Saint-Joseph) and 10 to 15 years for Cuvée Saxeolum (Vins de Seyssuel). Serve at 16-18°C. These wines are ideal with game, red meats, sauces and regional cheeses. The Ro-Rée is particularly well-suited to Asian cuisine.