2015 Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage 750 ml

Syrah Stunner From Greatest Northern Rhône Vintage in Generations

Domaine des Entrefaux, Crozes-Hermitage — drawn off some of the best sites of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation which were previously sold exclusively to Marcel Guigal — had perhaps the finest vintage since the family started domaine bottling with the 2015 growing season. 96-99 points from Wine Spectator calling the 2015 vintage “rich in both fruit and terroir” and “looks to rival 2010, 1990 and 1961” We’re circling the wagons now on the 2015 Northern Rhône vintage and buying everything we can. The 2015 Entrefaux is pure, peppery, and deep-purple Syrah, and one of the finest values we’ve ever tasted for domaine-bottled Crozes-Hermitage. We had to battle one of NYC’s best new restaurants, Charlie Bird to get this allocation. Don’t hesitate.  

Some of the finest wines we’ve ever tasted — 1961 Paul Jaboulet, Hermitage La Chapelle,  1983 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, 1990 Noël Verset Cornas — have been Northern Rhône Syrah. There’s something so unique and irresistible about wines from the region. Deep purple in color, they boast aromas of blackberry bush, violets, and bacon, and are full-flavored but never heavy.

Perhaps our only problem with the Northern Rhône is that there isn’t enough wine to go around. The entire region is smaller than the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Most of it stays local, to be served at the legendary culinary meccas like Paul Bocuse, La Pyramide, and Troisgros. What wine that does make it to the states gets pounced on by the wine directors at the country’s finest restaurants and vigilant, fervent collectors.

Father and son Charles and Francois Tardy farm 50 acres of Syrah on pebbly limestone terraces in the blue-chip village of Mercurol. Well before any neighbors, Domaine des Entrefaux started implementing organic farming practices back in 2000 — a major investment that took 12 years before their official certification was approved. At Entrefaux the yields are extremely low and every single grape cluster is hand-harvested. After harvest and fermentation, the Crozes-Hermitage is aged for one year in a blend of cement and oak vats, and barrels. Francois bottles the wines unfined and unfiltered.