2009 Ferraton Pere et Fils "La Matiniere" Crozes-Hermitage

The Northern Rhone really has a lot to offer.  The finesse of Cote-Rotie and the power of a great Hermitage are well known and delicious, but they can often be out of the average wine lover's budget.  The good news is there are plenty of other regions in the Northern Rhone that are producing more budget friendly wines.  Cornas in the southern end of the Northern Rhone produces some rustic but very interesting Syrahs that aren't necessarily budget friendly, but they do provide a nice value relative to Hermitage.  Saint Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage on opposite sides of the Rhone are both larger regions that produce some average stuff as well as some really great values.  Today's subject is not in my $15 and under category, but it is a Crozes-Hermitage that provides great value in the low $20s. 

The 2009 "La Martiniere" is 100% Syrah that is grown in rocky soils and aged for 12 months in oak before bottling.  The wine is a deep reddish purple in your glass.  The bouquet brings pretty intense blackberry and raspberry fruit with some black pepper and a bit of vanilla.  In your mouth you get more mixed red and black berries, but the fruit is much more subdued on the palate than the nose.  Decent acidity and some mild tannins make this a very nicely balanced offering.  All of this is brought to a close by a very subtle but long finish.  The bottom line is that this wine has a little something for everyone.  Fruit lovers will fall for the bouquet, and those who like a little more finesse and balance will not be disappointed. 

This is not a hard wine to pair with food.  It could go with the usual Syrah suspects of lamb or other grilled red meats, but it could also work with braised chicken dishes like coq au vin or even pasta with a meat sauce.  It would also be a great red to serve with fine cheese and elegant hors-d'oeuvres.

Cheers! 

Domaine Louis Cheze Caroline Cuvée Prestige Saint-Joseph 2009

Here I am writing about Syrah again We've been trying a whole bunch from all over the world, and one of the best places in the world for Syrah is the Northern Rhone. The wines of Hermitage and Cote Rotie get a whole lot more press, but there are also some very good wines and values to be found in Saint-Joseph. Geographically, Saint-Joseph is the largest AOC in the Northern Rhone, and it stretches 30 plus miles from Cornas in the south, where it is right across the river from Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage, all the way up to Condrieu in the North. It's boundaries have changed a few times, but recently they have reduced the size of the AOC and eliminated some areas that are not as desirable as the sloping vineyards near the Rhone river. The red wines of Saint-Joseph are all Syrah, and the expression varies depending upon what part of the region the grape are grown in. Safe to say, though, that as a rule, these are cool climate, food friendly Syrah's that are much more subdued than your typical Australian Shiraz.

The Domaine Louis Cheze Caroline is a fantastic example of what a great Saint-Joseph can be. Deep, reddish purple in your glass, the wine brings aromas of blackberry and plum with some floral notes and leather as well as some mild spice. There is quite a bit wrapped up into that bouquet so take your time and enjoy it. In your mouth you get fantastic blackberry fruit that is backed up with great acidity and mild, well integrated tannins. It's also important to note that the weight is pretty light for Syrah. That lighter weight and the structure provided by the acid and the tannins make this a really food friendly Syrah, that will pair nicely with a wide variety of meals.

Suggested pairings for the Louis Cheze Caroline are varied. This could work with the traditional grilled red meats or aged cheeses, but it's delicate and balanced enough to work with some lighter fare. I found myself wanting a seared tuna steak or even some grilled salmon to go with this. It could also work well with some pork dishes.

It's not an easy wine to find, but I got a nice clearance deal and picked these up for $29 a bottle, which was an absolute steal for this delicious wine. If you can find it, definitely give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes Hermitage 2009

Its time for me to start admitting to myself that I really enjoy Syrah. It's a grape that can make some really wonderful wines when grown in the right terroir by a winemaker who is on their game. The parts of the world that I've found that are making great Syrah are not all that plentiful, but there are a few. The Northern Rhone in France is certainly leading the pack, but Ive also seen some nice Syrah's from Washington, California (results are mixed here but there are some good ones), and even Spain and South America.

You'll notice that I don't have Australia on my list, which is the second largest producer of Syrah (or Shiraz as they call it) in the world after France. Although they make a lot of Syrah/Shiraz, there isn't too much of it that I've found to be great. In fact, I find most of their Shiraz to be over extracted, one dimensional, and frankly pretty boring and uninspiring. Now my point here isn't to pick on my mates Down Under or inspire people to throw a boomerang at the nearest kangaroo, but I do want people to think about Syrah and not just Shiraz. In the US, wine retailers sell a whole lot more Shiraz than we do Syrah, and many consumers only know Shiraz in the Aussie style. If you fall into this group, give a Syrah from Washington or Argentina a try, and you might find a very different wine than the Shiraz you know. Better yet, try something from the Northern Rhone like the Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes Hermitage 2009.

In your glass, the Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes Hermitage 2009 is a dark purple-red in color. The nose brings cassis and plum with some spice and black pepper. On the palate you get more of the plum and berry fruit, but the fruit is pretty subdued and complemented by some spice. The wine has a very healthy dose of acidity and mild to medium tannins that linger quietly on the very long finish.

Overall, this is a very nice bottle that can be found for just under $20. It is extremely well balanced and more old world in style, and it will pair nicely with a wide variety of meals. So go out and give a Syrah a try, and if you're already a fan of Syrah as opposed to Shiraz, I think you will probably enjoy this one.

Cheers!

Paul Jaboulet Aine Les Jalets Crozes Hermitage 2005

Over the last couple years I have become very enamored with wines from the Southern Rhone Valley in the South of France. The red wines from the Southern Rhone are primarily made with the Grenache grape with some Syrah or Mourvedre sometimes blended in. It is only recently that I have started to discover and really enjoy wines from the Northern Rhone. In the north it is the Syrah that becomes the star. Northern Rhone wines are typically made with either all Syrah or Syrah-based with some other grapes blended in.

This 2005 Crozes Hermitage from Paul Jaboulet Aine is a very nice example of what you can get with a good Northern Rhone red. In your glass the color is a very basic ruby red. The nose is subtle but quite nice with a complex bouquet. You get cherry and blackberry fruit with some smoke and spice and a subtle but welcome earthiness. In your mouth you get more of the same with great black cherry fruit flavors and some of the peppery spice you expect from a good Syrah. This is backed up with some good acidity and solid tannins to make for a very well structured wine.

This wine has the muscle to pair well with a nice steak, but it also has enough finesse to pair nicely with a number of different dishes. It would be perfect with a grilled leg of lamb.

As far as value goes, I love finding wines that taste more expensive than they are, and I wish this was the case with this one . This Crozes Hermitage is probably priced exactly right. It's about $22 and tastes just like a wine in that price range should. No great value here, but certainly fair value for the money.