Colombier Crozes Hermitage

$35.99

Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage

Seems people don’t talk much about Crozes-Hermitage (crows-hairm-ee-taj). Their attention more readily spins toward its famous neighbor of Hermitage. And why wouldn’t it? Hermitage makes the world’s greatest Syrah while fostering a cool story of how it got its name. (The hill of Hermitage was so named as a “hermit” lived there at one time. History says that in 1224, the knight Gaspard de Stérimberg, returning from a crusade against the Cathars, chose the top of the Hermitage hill to settle. The work of the vineyard became his daily life and thus the hill was named.)

Yet just on the other side of the famous Hermitage hill is the much larger appellation of Crozes-Hermitage. Crozes-Hermitage commandeered its name from the prized Hermitage, though its wines don’t carry the same cachet as its next door, mountain neighbor. Yet don’t be fooled. The hillsides of Crozes-Hermitage deliver world class Syrah, without the sticker shock. That’s what makes the place so exciting. The entire area is a Shangri-la of Syrah as it’s the only permitted red grape designated from the northern Rhone. Right there in the heart of it all, dancing and prancing their way to winemaking nirvana, are brothers Florent and David Viale. They’ve been running their grandfather’s winery since 1990 and have propelled it to sumptuous heights. The winery literally sits in the shadow of Hermitage. The brothers wake every morning to the smell of ripening Syrah grapes wafting over their hillside vineyards.

I recently tasted their Crozes-Hermitage for the first time. It blew me away. It was delicate and cram packed with ripe black cherries and plums, aromatic violets, a really cool graphite culpability, and a delightful smoky presence that sat alongside a minerally vein that charged the whole drink. Booyah! Simply great Syrah. The reason why? The grapes for their Crozes-Hermitage come from vineyards which sit on the border of Hermitage hill. Right there. They are some of the greatest vineyards in all of Crozes-Hermitage.

It’s fun when a wine so excites. Isn’t that what we all want? Something special that conveys the poetry of its place? There’s a sublime understanding of vineyard pedigree and effort, both from the vines and the farmers who work them. Such wine experiences are always sought yet many times elude. This one caught me unexpectedly, yet it was delightfully received. Man I love wine.

Serving suggestion: Decant for 30 minutes. Put decanter in fridge for the last 15 minutes. That tiny bit of coolness will mute the alcohol and allow you to more fully enjoy the fruit. 

Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage

Seems people don’t talk much about Crozes-Hermitage (crows-hairm-ee-taj). Their attention more readily spins toward its famous neighbor of Hermitage. And why wouldn’t it? Hermitage makes the world’s greatest Syrah while fostering a cool story of how it got its name. (The hill of Hermitage was so named as a “hermit” lived there at one time. History says that in 1224, the knight Gaspard de Stérimberg, returning from a crusade against the Cathars, chose the top of the Hermitage hill to settle. The work of the vineyard became his daily life and thus the hill was named.)

Yet just on the other side of the famous Hermitage hill is the much larger appellation of Crozes-Hermitage. Crozes-Hermitage commandeered its name from the prized Hermitage, though its wines don’t carry the same cachet as its next door, mountain neighbor. Yet don’t be fooled. The hillsides of Crozes-Hermitage deliver world class Syrah, without the sticker shock. That’s what makes the place so exciting. The entire area is a Shangri-la of Syrah as it’s the only permitted red grape designated from the northern Rhone. Right there in the heart of it all, dancing and prancing their way to winemaking nirvana, are brothers Florent and David Viale. They’ve been running their grandfather’s winery since 1990 and have propelled it to sumptuous heights. The winery literally sits in the shadow of Hermitage. The brothers wake every morning to the smell of ripening Syrah grapes wafting over their hillside vineyards.

I recently tasted their Crozes-Hermitage for the first time. It blew me away. It was delicate and cram packed with ripe black cherries and plums, aromatic violets, a really cool graphite culpability, and a delightful smoky presence that sat alongside a minerally vein that charged the whole drink. Booyah! Simply great Syrah. The reason why? The grapes for their Crozes-Hermitage come from vineyards which sit on the border of Hermitage hill. Right there. They are some of the greatest vineyards in all of Crozes-Hermitage.

It’s fun when a wine so excites. Isn’t that what we all want? Something special that conveys the poetry of its place? There’s a sublime understanding of vineyard pedigree and effort, both from the vines and the farmers who work them. Such wine experiences are always sought yet many times elude. This one caught me unexpectedly, yet it was delightfully received. Man I love wine.

Serving suggestion: Decant for 30 minutes. Put decanter in fridge for the last 15 minutes. That tiny bit of coolness will mute the alcohol and allow you to more fully enjoy the fruit.