2016 Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 750 ml

Our Pick of Spectator’s “Superb” Reds in 2016

Domaine des Entrefaux continues to rank among the finest values we’ve ever tasted for domaine-bottled Crozes-Hermitage. Drawn off some of the best sites of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, which were previously sold exclusively to Marcel Guigal, Entrefaux enjoyed at stellar 2016 growing season. Wine Spectator rated the vintage 94-97 points calling the reds of the harvest “superb.” The 2016 Entrefaux is energetic and poised offering juicy dark berry and cherry pit flavors and high toned notes of licorice. We know the importer, and we often have to haggle because of some NYC restaurant looking to take our allocation. This time… it was NYC’s Gramercy Tavern looking to take the lion’s share. Still, thanks to our relationship, we secured 45 cases! $26.99 per bottle, shipping included on 6.

Some of the finest wines we’ve ever tasted—1961 Paul Jaboulet, Hermitage La Chapelle, 1983 J-L 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 all the way 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.