2013 Crozes Hermitage Domaine Roure

From a 3.5-hectare estate of steep granite soils that was purchased in 1996, the 2013 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure spent 12 months in 20% new French oak. It offers lots of granite character in its raspberry and blackberry fruits, white pepper, cedary spice and dried flowers. More fresh, focused and mineral-laced than the Thalabert, yet not as rich or dense, it too will have a decade of longevity.

Brilliant ruby. Complex, mineral-accented black and blue fruits on the nose, along with hints of pipe tobacco, potpourri and black pepper. Stains the palate with sappy blackcurrant and blueberry flavors, with smoky minerality providing bite and spine. Silky tannins shape the finish, which resonates with mineral and floral notes.

I think a step back from the 2012, the 2013 Crozes Hermitage Domaine Raymond Roure is still a serious, impressive Crozes that’s well worth checking out. Showing the classic minerality of this cuvee, it has lots of graphite, liquid rock and spring flowers to go with a core of darker fruit. Elegant, seamless and balanced, with medium+-bodied richness, it should benefit from short-term cellaring and have a decade or so of longevity.||The revamped Jaboulet firm, under the leadership of Caroline Frey, seems to have settled in and are now producing one serious lineup of wines from throughout the Rhone Valley. eRobertParker.com.December, 2014