Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of blackberry and black cherry fruits, peppery herbs, truffly earth, and chocolate notes emerge from the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine De Roure. This medium to full-bodied, rich, nicely concentrated red has ripe tannins, a terrific, balanced, layered texture, and a great finish. It's a classic, impeccably made Syrah that can be drunk today or cellaring for 10-15 years. I'd put it up with some of the top Crozes in the vintage.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Grown on granitic soils near Gervans, the 2018 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure boasts aromas of crushed stone and tapenade, laced with cassis, blueberries and espresso. Full-bodied but restrained, it shows the structural influence of the granite, with plentiful fine-grained tannins that seem deceptively silky, yet yield a finish that's dry, cool and refreshing.
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James Suckling
Plenty of cracked-pepper character to the black fruit and light tar. It’s full-bodied with linear, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Surprisingly hard and chewy. Needs some time to soften.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Crozes-Hermitage is Northern Rhone’s largest appellation, surrounding the steep granite faces of Hermitage to its north and south. Here the rolling vineyards are less extreme and its soils, rich in clay-limestone and alluvial matter, produce Syrahs that range from fruity and charming to lush and seductive. The Syrahs of Crozes-Hermitage have more mass than those from St. Joseph but are less intense than those from Hermitage. While many are intended for early consumption, some of the best Syrahs from Crozes-Hermitage will age beautifully for 5-10 years.
Up to 15% of white grapes may theoretically be added to red Crozes at the time of fermentation but whether this is done or not depends on the decision of the winemaker. The best Crozes-Hermitage Syrahs will be fleshy with black fruit (currant, blackberry and black cherry) and bay leaf qualities, notes of tar and stone, and a well-concentrated finish of smooth tannins.
About a tenth of the wine produced in Crozes-Hermitage is white, primarily composed of Marsanne supplemented by smaller amounts of Roussanne.