2017 Crozes Hermitage “Tiercerolles”
Barruol / Lynch
This is real-deal Syrah that demonstrates the strong personality—and value—to be found in Crozes.
Louis Barruol sources this Crozes from granite hillside plots that yield deep, chewy reds with concentrated aromas of smoke, black fruit, and graphite.
Wines from the fabled hill of Hermitage undoubtedly represent the pinnacle of Syrah worldwide. However, these bottles are extremely limited in quantity, and they tend to be priced accordingly. Enter Crozes Hermitage: akin to an extension of Hermitage on the left bank of the Rhône, Crozes produces wines that are capable of hinting at Syrah greatness at bargain cost. That being said, quality varies tremendously here, as the appellation features both stony slopes ideal for producing wines of character and richer soils on flatter land—not nearly as noble a terroir. Louis Barruol has intimate knowledge of the northern Rhône’s vineyards, so he sources this Crozes from granite hillside plots that yield deep, chewy reds with concentrated aromas of smoke, black fruit, and graphite. Vinified traditionally (with stems) and aged in barrels without filtration, this is real-deal Syrah that demonstrates the strong personality—and value—to be found in Crozes.
—Anthony Lynch
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2017 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Syrah |
| Appellation: | Crozes Hermitage |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Northern Rhône |
| Producer: | Barruol Lynch - Northern Rhône |
| Winemaker: | Louis Barruol |
| Vineyard: | 30-50 years |
| Soil: | Granite |
| Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
| Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch