The Northern Rhône Valley is best known for its syrahs from Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas – magnificent wines that require diligent cellaring. In their youth they can be finicky and underwhelming, but given time they’re some of the most impressive and complex red wines made anywhere in the world. For those with a dearth of cellar space or patience (no shame) but a taste for Northern syrah, we submit Crozes-Hermitage.
Our source here is Dennis Basset, a talented organic winemaker crafting beautifully balanced pure-Syrah wines that require far less cellaring to reach maturity. Basset’s wines improve for years, but they’re delicious just about from the moment the arrive. Most of Basset’s wines are from Crozes-Hermitage, but today’s is from St-Joseph, on the other side of the Rhône river.
Denis farms just over a hectare of old vines in St-Joseph here, which produce rich, intense, very elegant syrah. The nose is deep and dark with notes of cloves, violets, and intense black pepper; the mouth is full and inky but with excellent tension and notes of roasted meat and licorice. At 13.5% alcohol this is classic Northern Rhône Syrah – dark and brooding but with tremendous lift and elegance. As grilling season returns, pair this with lamb burgers, and give this wine an hour in a carafe or decanter.
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St-Clair Saint-Joseph 2022
bottle price: $35
