If you want to experience the joys of Northern Rhone Syrah, Laurent Combier's Crozes-Hermitage is a great place to start. This is Syrah with wonderful purity of fruit and a delicacy rarely encountered in the grape. It will also immediately help you understand why France's Northern Rhone is famous for Syrah.
Combier's wines have become the darlings of the sommelier community and for good reason. While they possess plenty of flavor concentration and classic varietal character, they are more elegant, medium-bodied, and lively wines that drink great with or without food. If grilled meats are on the menu any time soon, get some of this!
2021 Domaine Combier Crozes-Hermitage 'Cuvee Laurent Combier'
Pure, aromatic, elegant Syrah from this Northern Rhone All-Star.
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This is, without a doubt, one of the top Northern Rhone Syrah values you'll find in the United States. The Northern Rhone Valley is the "spiritual birthplace" of Syrah, and it is here that the grape achieves its greatest expression. This is just my opinion of course, but when you taste this, I think you'll agree with me. This just exudes pure and classic varietal character, and once it opens up, it's downright gulpable.
Maurice Combier bought land in the Northern Rhone in the early-1960's to grow grapes, apricots, and peaches. In the 1970's, he began working all of his land organically, an agricultural practice that was unheard of in the region at the time. The locals thought he was nuts, and he became known locally as Maurice le Fou, or Crazy Maurice. His intuition proved to be correct, and within a couple of years his grapes and fruit were highly sought after. In 1989, Maurice's first-born son Laurent joined his father, and they began estate-bottling their own wines. Today, the estate is certified organic and biodynamic, and their wines are better and more sought-after than ever.
Their Purple Label Crozes-Hermitage, as it's become known, is both a great introduction to Northern Rhone Syrah, but it will also very much appeal to long-time lovers of the grape and the region. All of the fruit is de-stemmed, then fermented for 20 days in cement vats before being aged for 10 months in concrete eggs. The finished wine offers up gorgeous notes of brambly raspberry, blueberry, violet, and crushed black pepper. Medium-bodied, energetic, and quite easy to drink, this is one helluva' wine.
I've got 14 cases available at deal pricing, and this would pair perfectly with a lavish feast of lamb or beef. It is also a wonderful wine to sip on slowly all year, ideally with a spread of cheese, charcuterie, and baguette.
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Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville