Crozes-Hermitage: A gateway to northern Rhône wine (#Winophiles)

The Rhône wine region of France is a house divided. To the north, compact vineyards lie along both sides of the Rhone river in a narrow, steep-sided strip of land only 40 miles long. In the south, vineyards fan out from the river across a comparatively broad plain.

The north is cool. The south is hot. Syrah rules the north. Grenache has dominion over the south. And so it goes.

Why are they even lumped together as one region? It’s a mystery.

For now, let’s talk about the northern Rhône – big red country. Not big like Texas. Oh, no! The northern Rhône accounts for only 5% of wines from the entire region. I mean “big” as in powerful, structured, long-aging. Wine connoisseurs wax poetic describing these vinous masterpieces.

Naturally, northern Rhône wines command a price to match their reputation, the special care required to manage the region’s terraced vineyards, and the resulting wines’ exquisite high quality. By expensive, I mean hundreds of dollars for the best wine in the best years. Whoa! Way too steep for me!

If you’re on a budget and newish to northern Rhône wine, you’re going to look for one at a modest price – like the $25 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage I found at wine.com for the French Winophiles chat on Saturday, April 18, at 11 am ET. If you’re reading this post in time, please join in the fun on Twitter by following the #Winophiles hashtag.

Rupal at Syrah Queen, our host for this month’s chat, runs down the eight cru (highest quality) appellations of the northern Rhône, from tiny, prestigious Côte Rôtie or “roasted slope” in the north to Saint-Peréy in the south. I highly recommend reading her post to learn the differences among these cru appellations.

Crozes-Hermitage Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is thelargest cru and produces the most wine in the northern Rhône. Vineyards lie on mixed terrain around the hill of Hermitage. North of Hermitage the vineyards are on slopes that must be hand-tended and produce the area’s most complex wines. Lighter wines are produced from higher yielding, machine-harvested, flatter sites in the south.

Most Crozes-Hermitage wines are meant for drinking young (after about 3-5 years of aging), compared to the longer-aging potential of wines further north. Yet, from a reputable producer and in a good year (vintage), these affordable wines can serve as an excellent gateway to experiencing old-world Syrah.

Northern Rhône facts

First, some facts to situate ourselves in Syrah’s renowned French home.

• The Rhône river flows between the Massif Central and the French Alps.
• In the northernmost cru, grapes often are planted – facing south to maximize sun exposure – in lateral valleys that feed into the river. These steep valleys protect the vines from the cold north wind. On the steepest slopes, vines are supported by stakes or a tepee arrangement of stakes.
• A continental climate prevails throughout much of the northern Rhône. That means warm, but not hot, summers and cold winters.
• The soil in the northernmost cru is granite and often has to be carried back up into the steepest vineyards after being washed down.
• Syrah is the only red variety permitted in the northern Rhône. Whites are Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.
• Many of the well-established growers (like Guigal) also act as négociants who sell the majority of wine from the northern Rhône.

Sources: Wine & Spirit Education Trust; Society of Wine Educators

The Guigal name

The Guigal name is just as big as the wine it makes and sells. Guigal owns a total of 150 acres in the northern Rhône, but also works with long-term grower partners as a négociant. In the southern Rhône, they buy finished wine rather than grapes. Philippe Guigal says they buy around 1 percent of what they taste overall and pay around double the normal rate.

Theirs is a classic entrepreneurial story. Etienne Guigal began working in the area (picking apricots) in 1924, when he was 14 years old. He started his career with Établissements Vidal-Fleury, first as a vineyard hand and then as cellar master, before leaving to start his own estate. His son Marcel took over in 1961 after Etienne was struck blind following an illness (he went on to recover his sight), and it was under Marcel’s direction that Guigal became world renowned.

In the 1980s Guigal bought Vidal-Fleury, and in 1995 followed it with Château d’Ampuis, visible from slopes high above Ampuis, a small, ancient village to the south of Lyon in the Côte-Rôtie appellation. In 2001, Guigal purchased Domaine Jean-Louis Grippat and Domaine de Vallouit with vineyards in Saint-Joseph, Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Crozes-Hermitage. It takes 7.5 acres of cellars to vinify and store all the wine they make. Guigal also owns a cooperage – the only one in the Rhône – and makes every barrel used in its winery.

Today, Marcel and Philippe, along with their wives, are in charge of the vast holdings. Their motto, “No Pains No Gains,” sums up their hard-work ethic.

Writer Jane Anson describes Guigal’s method and style as follows:

“All their wines are from vines grown on steep slopes, pruned low, and made without pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. The oldest vines in La Mouline date back to the 1890s. The house style calls for no fining or filtration, and a long barrel aging of between three and four years. Even the Côtes du Rhône gets six months in oak.”

Sources: E.Guigal; wine-searcher

The wine – 2016 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage AOC
100% Syrah

Guigal calls Crozes-Hermitage “a typical wine of the northern Rhône.” Soils are a pebbly mix of limestone, clay, silt, and sandy gravel, with good drainage. Grapes are mainly grown on steep slopes in the villages of Gervans, Mercurol, Larnage, and Crozes-Hermitage. Average age of the vines is 35 years.

Fermentation occurs in stainless-steel vats during a three-week maceration. Following that, the wine is aged for 18 months in oak barrels.

A word about vintage: The 2016 northern Rhône wines, as a whole, are known as light-bodied and more elegant than their powerful 2015 counterparts. Hail in April damaged some of the crop in Hermitage, meaning yields were reduced – though, as Jancis Robinson notes, quality isn’t necessarily compromised. Alcohol levels are in general slightly lower than in 2015.

The 2015s are wines to put away for a decade or more. The 2016 vintage, on the other hand, will be ready to drink sooner. Reviewer Josh Raynolds regards both vintages as winners:

“For a less-ripe – but by no means thin – vintage, 2016 produced an abundance of wines that exhibit admirable depth plus energy.”

My tasting notes: Dark ruby in color, almost purple. Aromas of violet, black currant, and spice. Savory and earthy on a peppery palate with hints of tobacco and herb. Slightly but not overly tannic. Bright, medium-level acidity. Medium body. Medium+ finish. Drink now or wait a few more years. Alcohol: 13%. Price: $24.99.

Pairings for northern Rhône wines

The producer suggests red meat, game, and cheese for pairing with the Crozes-Hermitage. Lamb would be a good choice, for sure, but also grilled meats and other savory foods such as mushrooms and roasted vegetables.

My thoughts landed on burgers – nice, juicy turkey burgers smothered in ketchup (or, as the spouse prefers, mustard) and topped with sautéed mushrooms. As a side, I prepared an easy quinoa and roasted sweet potato salad with feta and basil. The pairing was compatible. For wow, I’d grill the burgers and go with beef instead of turkey.

Still wanting to experiment, I put together a second pairing – a one-skillet dish of sausage, beans, and spinach in a tomato broth. The sausage gave the pairing the savoriness this wine craves.

You’ll find lots of great posts linked below. Also, I found the Wine for Normal People podcast interview with Serge Doré (March 31, 2020) enormously informative. The French wine importer shares his insights and recommendations based on decades of visiting the area and tasting wines with some of the greats. Serge gives you specific producers to look for when shopping for Rhône wines. Don’t miss it!

• Cindy from Grape Experience writes Strength and Power Meet Balance and Elegance in Syrah from the Northern Rhone.
• Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm presents To Syrah with Love.
• Lauren from Swirling Dervish explores Old World Syrah from the Northern Rhone: 2016 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage.
• Jeff from Food Wine Click offers A View of Northern Rhone’s Saint Joseph through Three Wines.
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass posts Crozes-Hermitage: A Gateway to Northern Rhône Wine.
• Jill from L’Ocassion asks What’s the Difference Between France’s Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône Valleys?
• Gwendolyn from ;Wine Predator writes In These Times, Drink from Deep in The Cellar: Two from Northern Rhone’s St Joseph’s.
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles is Finding Connections in the Northern Rhône.
• Susannah from Avvinare writes about Virtually Visiting Crozes-Hermitage Through Chapoutier’s Wine.
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures With Camilla pairs Chicken Chasseur + Guigal Crozes-Hermitage 2016.
• Nicole at Somm’s Table serves A Simple Spring Lamb Feast with Maison Nicolas Perrin Crozes-Hermitage.
• Jane from Always Ravenous pours A Taste of Hermitage Marsanne.
• Martin from Enoflyz Wine Blog suggests Looking For Value in Northern Rhône? Look For Crozes-Hermitage!
• Lynn from Savor The Harvest goes Exploring Treasures of the Northern Rhone.
• Terri from Our Good Life sings Hey Syrah, Syrah, Whatever Will Be, Will Be.
• Our host, Rupal on Syrah Queen is Exploring Côte-Rôtie –Syrahs With A Twist.