2020 Cave Chevalier Les Voleyses Crozes-Hermitage 750 ml

Single-vineyard pedigree. Impeccable family-farming. 100% Syrah. 

It’s the recipe for some of our favorite Rhône wines EVER, and it’s also the formula behind this sensational Crozes-Hermitage bargain-buy, crafted by a producer whose wines Wine Advocate declared “top-notch.” 

In 2020—a vintage that Decanter said “will provide huge amounts of pleasure, straight out of the gate”—Chevalier crafted this silky release, which delivers tons of enjoyment and matches many other classic single-site bottlings in quality while costing around HALF the typical price.

Crozes-Hermitage was originally born off the back of the legendary Hermitage hill. In the southerly, flatter parts of the appellation—birthplace of the Cave Chevalier Les Voleyses—where soils shift to limestone and pebbles and the sun shines brightly, expressions are more opulent, juicy, and open-hearted than in the north. 

Les Voleyses is a 3.5-acre limestone parcel planted in 1986, and it’s known for producing wines with floral freshness and mouthfilling fruit. Fermented in concrete and matured in stainless steel, this purple-red Syrah hits the glass singing with purity, releasing a bouquet of cracked black pepper, violet, tobacco, and licorice.

In many ways, Domaine Chevalier is a success story that mirrors the upward ascent of Crozes-Hermitage in recent years. The estate is run by a brother and sister team, Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier, polycultural farmers who employ sustainable techniques. They sold their hand-harvested grapes to the top local co-op until 2009. Now they focus on just six bottlings, each from a single vineyard, that capture the essence of terroir and offer incredible quality for the price. 

The Les Voleyses is the freshest and most rewarding straight off the bat, marrying savory Rhône elegance with ripe accessibility.