2016 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 750 ml

We pack our bags, say goodbye to our families, and cross the ocean. Once we get there, we walk the world-famous vineyards, meet the winemakers we’ve admired forever, and by the time we sit down to taste we’re practically bursting with excitement to bring the wines to our members.

Then… we wait. That part’s never easy, it’s never been harder than with the wines of E. Guigal, one of our all-time favorite producers, which we visited this winter. That’s why it’s so exhilarating to announce that the wait is over for our allocation of Guigal’s 2016 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge. It’s finally out of the Guigal cellars and ready to ship to Wine Access members.

We tasted this wine at Guigal headquarters in Ampuis, alongside their entire lineup—including their flagship Hermitage bottlings—and discovered (to our surprise) that this Syrah offered the most value. It’s deep ruby from core to rim, with aromatic notes of blackberry compote, black olives, thyme, and lavender. 

While Hermitage Syrahs are known for needing some bottle age, this Crozes-Hermitage is extremely enjoyable now, though its complex fruit and grilled herb notes will certainly deepen in the cellar. 

Like Guigal’s top bottlings, it’s made by Marcel Guigal, the man Robert Parker calls “this planet’s greatest winemaker.” It’s got power, it’s got balance, and it’s a fantastic way to taste classic Northern Rhône character from one of the greatest wine families in the world. We're absolutely thrilled to bring it to you today for $30.

Thinking back to our trip this past winter, we've only seen a few sights that surpassed the impossible expectations we had built up in our minds for years. Put Hermitage Hill on that list. The site has produced renowned wines for 2,000 years, and we’ve seen a million photos of it. None do it justice.

If the view of the hill isn’t enough to take your breath away, the steepness will do it, especially when you do what we did: We hopped out of the car and walked up the rows, letting the frigid winter air shock our lungs as we climbed. When we got to the top of the hill, we could barely get a word out. At the top, we enjoyed the view—south across the Rhône, and north to the nearby appellation of Crozes-Hermitage.

If the dramatic but tiny Hermitage appellation is the Grand Cru, think of Crozes as the overachieving next-door neighbor, an appellation that’s becoming known as one of the finest value sources for serious Northern Rhône Syrah. For less than half of what you’d pay for one of Guigal’s Hermitage wines, Crozes-Hermitage (especially in an outstanding vintage like 2016) packs an impressive amount of Northern Rhône character and power. 

The grapes come from low-yielding, hillside vineyards, and produce—like the Hermitage reds they share a name with—the quintessence of Old World Syrah, and a wine that belongs in every red wine lover’s cellar. Full of blackberry compote, black olives, charred meat, and wild herbs, the 2016 Crozes-Hermitage did not fail to impress us, even among much more expensive company.

We won’t tell you how much we've already ordered, but we will have plenty to watch evolve over the next decade, and a few to enjoy right away—and by that, we mean as soon as they reach my door. We hope you’ll do the same. Because while the long wait can be hard, there’s nothing better than when that good thing you’ve been waiting for finally arrives. And today, Guigal’s Crozes-Hermitage is here.