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An Evening Exploring the Northern Rhône Wine Region:
The Land of French Syrah
According to Wine Folly, the Northern Rhône may not be the epicenter of where the first Syrah vine appeared (which is about 35 miles southeast of this region), however it is the benchmark by which all other Syrah wines are measured. Syrahs from this area exhibit styles very unlike other regions across the world. The area is renowned for its steep terraces, unique trellises, diverse soil types from north to south and very famous appellations such as Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, two areas on our tasting list. Alex Morrison, Certified Sommelier and veteran wine expert, will lead us on our Syrah journey.
Maison les Alexandrins Condrieu 2016
Maison les Alexandrins is the story of three friends combining the savoir-faire they learned from their parents and grandparents and the fruits from beautiful and historic terroirs. Nicolas Jaboulet, the 6th generation of a wine growing family in Tain l’Hermitage, Guillaume Sorrel, son of Marc Sorrel of Domaine Sorrel in Hermitage, and Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the Northern Rhône, joined forces in 2012. Today, Maison and Domaine Les Alexandrins produces Northern Rhône wines that are true and classic expressions of the Northern Rhône.
As the source of some of the most vibrant and powerful white wines in France, Condrieu is uniquely situated in one of the northern outposts of the Rhône River. It is the original Viognier appellation with a winegrowing history dating back well over two thousand years.
This unique wine exhibits aromas of exotic fruit, pineapple, acacia flowers, lychee and peach including very elegant and discreet aging notes of sweet spice. A honeyed smell may mislead you to think the wine will be sweet but the modern style totally appears dry on the palate. The finish is saline with beautiful bitterness and a flash of minerality buried on the finish.
Domaine Belle Hermitage 2013
Belle Hermitage dates back to 1933 when Louis Belle, a great winegrower, acquired some superb parcels of land in communes of Larnage and Tain l’Hermitage. When Louis transferred the land to his son Albert in the 1970s, the holding consisted of four hectares spread over two communes, Larnage and Tain. Together Albert (son) and Philippe (grandson) have built a modern winery giving them the means to produce great wines which respect the terroir of the individual appellations.
A rich, complex aroma of black fruit develops from the outset showing notes of blackberry liqueur, cassis and elderflower. Olive tapenade, smoked earth, black currant and hints of beef blood flow nicely to create a medium- to full-bodied wine. It is a balanced, yet concentrated and structured Hermitage, with an aromatic length. This Hermitage is a beautiful crimson with glints of dark purple—a wine so full of color it is nearly black.
E. Guigal Château d’Ampuis Côte-Rôtie 2014
The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Ḗtienne Guigal in Ampuis, a small, ancient village at the heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation. It is overlooked by unique vineyards where vines and wine have been celebrated for over 2,400 years. Today it is run by third generation winemakers, Philippe and Eve Guigal, who now make some of the best wines of the Rhône valley. In 1995 they acquired the famous Château d’Ampuis, a historical and oenological marvel situated on the banks of the Rhône, that history has linked directly to the Côte-Rôtie appellation.
Matured in new oak that sees the same élevage as the single vineyard cuvées, the 2014 Côte Rôtie Château D'Ampuis boasts terrific ripeness and depth, with a Burgundian style in its perfumed red and black fruits, spice box, and dried flower aromas and flavors. With medium body, fine tannins, and terrific balance, muscular complexity and length, Château d’Ampuis defines what a great Côte-Rôtie should be.
2015 Jean-Baptiste Souillard St. Joseph Bergeron
Jean-Baptiste Souillard is a deeply serious young winemaker with an impressive background, having worked at Château Latour, Comte Armand and Jean-Luc Colombo, not to mention several stints abroad. He worked in Burgundy as well, and loving the region and their single varietal wines, he felt frustrated to see so many great terroirs from the Northern Rhône being blended. He then decided to make his own wines by sourcing grapes from single plots only. His first vintage was 2014 with all his wines bearing the plots’ names, like in Burgundy. The vineyards are mostly located at the top of the hill (with granite soils), which are the rarest in the Northern Rhône appellations.
The 2014 vintage expresses notes of peonies and talcum powder, black and red fruits with old wood, savory aromatics and an effortlessly long finish. For this particular Syrah, one can imagine drinking a whole-cluster-Burgundy faded by rose petals with magnificent, hyper-tense, savory notes, yet this is a wine that heralds from the Northern Rhône.
2018 Jean-Luc Columbo Cornas ‘Les Ruchets’
Innovation, passion and dedication are what drive Jean-Luc and Anne Colombo, whose contributions to Rhône Valley winemaking have remained unparalleled since 1984. The Colombos’ innovative approach in the northern appellation of Cornas has been nothing short of revolutionary. Their expressive, character-driven wines have helped breathe new life into this highly prestigious and acclaimed appellation. Jean-Luc, Anne and their daughter Laure, now head winemaker, continue to ensure the production of fine wines of typicity from major appellations of the Rhône Valley, as well as the Languedoc and Provence, while maintaining sustainable farming practices.
The 2018 Cornas ‘Les Ruchets’ leads off with hints of mint, fennel, crushed stone and blackberries. It's full-bodied and rich, expansive and generous without crossing over into being jammy, with savory notes of black olives and roast meat to balance out the ripe fruit and a lingering, softly tannic finish.
