Crozes-Hermitage Syrah

Such a beautiful wine leading with a zesty charge of cracked pepper, grilled citrus, and barnyard, while not shying away from fruitiness. Gains weight with air and a darker, more serious stewed intensity of fruit leather and earth. Drank with a friend who really appreciated it, and we both returned to our glasses repeatedly waxing poetic with our expressions. Purchased at Astor.

Has the hint of the amazing 1995 that zinged my wine obsession.

To quote my earlier notes: “A $40 bottle that tastes like a $60-70 bottle.”

What you want out of Northern Rhône

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days and frankly, this was spectacular throughout. The 2020 pours a deep, ruby-purple with an opaque core and a magenta rim; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine smells like walking into a European delicatessen; developing with notes of mostly ripe and some tart, black, red and blue fruits. There’s mixed brambles, fig, blueberry, lavender, black pepper, olive brine, a melange of cool and warm baking spices and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. It’s been a couple of years since I last enjoyed this vintage of Graillot and it remains absolutely brilliant. Drink now through 2040.

A $40 bottle that tastes like a $60-70 bottle

Full flavored and beautiful but unexpectedly a touch scratchy on the close. Needs time.

Charleston Food and Wine Classic…Rhône tasting.

Classic and absolutely delicious.

A very serious return to a cool vintage taste profile I don’t recall since the ‘14. Lavender, herbs, mineral in addition to the sweetly ripe blackberries and stems. Appreciating the 13% abv.