Crozes-Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage, authentic terroir from the northern Rhône. Hardly any other Rhône wine has the same reputation as the wines from the Hermitage appellation. But besides Hermitage, the Crozes Hermitage also enjoys an impressive trackrecord with renowned and high scoring wines
The best wines from Crozes-Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage, authentic terroir from the northern Rhône. It is the diversity of wines that makes the Crozes-Hermitage appellation so exciting for wine lovers. Here, in the northern Rhône, wines are produced that are as varied as they are high in quality.
Hardly any other Rhône wine has the same reputation as the wines from the Hermitage appellation. But besides Hermitage, the Crozes Hermitage also enjoys an impressive trackrecord with renowned and high scoring wines
Where exactly is the Crozes-Hermitage appellation?
Welcome to the northern Rhône! This is where the south of France begins. The 1,600 hectares of vineyards in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation stretch along the left bank of the Rhône between the municipalities of Tain-l'Hermitage in the north and Valence in the south, right next to the famous Hermitage hill, which is synonymous with Syrah from the Rhône. Wine has been grown around the municipality of Crozes for centuries. However, the wines did not have their own protected designation of origin. At the beginning of the 20th century, the winegrowers took Burgundy as their model and added the location where the grapes came from to the municipality name on the label. This is how the name Crozes-Hermitage came about. In 1937, it was officially recognised when Crozes-Hermitage was granted its own appellation status, including geographical boundaries and strict rules for grape growing and vinification.
However, this does not mean that everything in Crozes-Hermitage has remained unchanged since 1937. On the contrary! In 1952, ten more communes were added to the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. This meant that overnight, it suddenly covered 5,000 hectares! This caused a great deal of unrest in the region, as some wines were far from the high standard required. Fortunately, a restructuring took place in 1989, during which areas less suitable for viticulture were rigorously eliminated. Since then, the appellation has covered the 1,600 hectares of vineyards mentioned above. Incidentally, there is no official cru classification in Crozes-Hermitage, but this does not prevent winemakers from bottling many excellent wines that reflect their respective terroirs. The best sites are concentrated around the two communes of Gervans and Larnage.
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Which grapes are grown in Crozes-Hermitage?
When it comes to grape varieties in Crozes-Hermitage, one red grape in particular is the big star: Syrah. This is standard for the northern Rhône. 85 percent of all wines here are dedicated to this powerful and intense grape variety. As is customary throughout the Rhône region, winemakers in Crozes-Hermitage are also allowed to blend up to 15 per cent Marsanne or Roussanne into their Syrah wines. Yes, that's right: two white grape varieties.
Fifty years ago, winemakers made extensive use of this to give the red wine more freshness and stabilise its intense colour. Thanks to more modern cultivation and vinification techniques, this is no longer necessary today. This is precisely why most wineries refrain from adding white wine to their red wines and prefer to make Marsanne and Roussanne into distinctive white wines with their own character. However, no other grape varieties are actually permitted in Crozes-Hermitage.
Climate and soils in Crozes-Hermitage
Strictly speaking, Crozes-Hermitage lies in a real climatic tension zone. And that is precisely what makes it such a blessing for the appellation! On the one hand, the Mediterranean is only 120 kilometres away. The warm, humid influences are clearly noticeable here. The advantage is that the Syrah grapes, with their thick skins, ripen reliably. On the other hand, the cold Mistral wind with its continental influences sweeps through the Rhône valley and cools the vineyards. This causes the grapes to ripen more slowly and develop a higher concentration of aromas. It also reduces fungal pressure. A true win-win climate.
The soils are even more complicated than the climate. The Crozes-Hermitage appellation can be divided into three areas. In the northern zone around Gervans and Erôme, weathered granite characterises the steep slopes, interspersed with loess deposits. The barren soils force the vines to grow deep roots, which gives the wines a straightforward character typical of granite. In the central terraces near Tain-l'Hermitage, river pebbles from four ice ages dominate, often mixed with red clay. This is where complex Syrah wines with good ageing potential are produced. And then there is the southern alluvial plain near Pont-de-l'Isère, where sandy alluvial soils predominate. The wines produced here are very accessible and should be enjoyed young.
What does a Crozes-Hermitage wine taste like?
These highly diverse soils alone make it difficult to define a uniform Crozes-Hermitage style. In fact, there isn't one. In addition, the winemakers of the appellation pursue two very different philosophies. On the one hand, there are the traditionalists, who produce heavy and opulent Syrah with great complexity and depth. Here, hints of blackberry, black plum, smoked bacon and black olive tapenade dominate. These wines can age for a small eternity.
On the other hand, there are the modernists, who deliberately take the heaviness out of the wines and focus more on elegance and balance. Blackberry and black plum pair well with herbal nuances and a lovely smoky note. These Syrahs also age exceptionally well, but are accessible earlier. In addition, young winemakers in particular are specifically cultivating single-vineyard wines in order to capture the differences in terroir.
And then there are the white wines! Here, Marsanne and Roussanne usually form an intense, opulent partnership with great depth. The best wines have smoky notes and a lovely creaminess without lacking the necessary freshness.
What food goes well with wines from Crozes-Hermitage?
The intense wines produced in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation are particularly well suited to hearty dishes. This is especially true if you want to enjoy a red wine. Game dishes such as saddle of venison are a real treat with these wines. The same applies to the famous Daube Provençale stew. A little tip from us: if you spice up this dish with black olives, you will bring out the spicy nuances in the Syrah.
White wines from Crozes-Hermitage go very well with poultry. For example, roast chicken with a creamy sauce. If you have a particularly mineral-rich wine in your glass, then freshly grilled langoustines with a strong lemon and herb marinade are our first choice.
As you can see, there are many wine discoveries to be made in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. Don't miss out on this enormous range of styles and browse the carefully curated selection at Best of Wines!