2011 Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Gaby

Pretty spicy. Oaky, but lively fruit underneath. Tastes richer than at a tasting the day before. (JH)

The estate’s limited production release, the 2011 Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Gaby is 100% Syrah that spent 13 months in 20% new French oak. Locked and loaded with notions of black raspberry, smoked meats, game and black olive, this serious effort hits the palate with a silky, seamless texture, solid concentration and superb purity of fruit. It is a knockout Crozes Hermitage that should continue to shine for a decade or more. ||This was a rock star lineup by owner/winemaker Florent Viale. Covering roughly 13 hectares in Crozes Hermitage (mostly around the villages of Mercurol and Tain) and just under two hectares in Hermitage, the wines from this domaine see a traditional vinification followed by aging mostly in older demi-muids, with new oak kept to around 20% for most of the cuvees. The wines are classic, textbook examples of their appellations and should not be missed. The fact that they can represent good value is just icing on the cake. Wine Advocate.December, 2013