The Northern Rhône is a tiny region. With just ten thousand acres of vines, it’s one sixteenth the size of the Southern Rhône Valley. And yet it’s home to the world’s finest expressions of Syrah. Iconic and ageworthy wines from Hermitage, Côte Rôtie and Cornas get much of the attention, but the lesser-known appellation of Crozes-Hermitage provides tremendous value.
Our source there for many years has been Denis Basset’s Domaine Saint Clair. Basset’s family has grown grapes (and flowers) in the town of Beaumont-Monteux for generations; but more than a decade ago, after a near-death experience with a high voltage line, he resolved to take over the family’s vines and to create his own domaine.
The 2023 vintage was hot and dry for just about everywhere in France, and growing conditions were also exemplary in the Northern Rhône. Basset’s 2023 Etincelle has ample freshness and very good ripeness of fruit. Aromatically, there’s a pleasant note of clove mixing with Syrah’s dark fruit and graphite. It’s middleweight, fresh, and very clean – perfect for a weeknight glass while you throw together dinner.
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Saint-Clair Crozes-Hermitage “Etincelle” 2023
bottle price: $25
