2016 Crozes Hermitage Le Clos

Brought up in used barrels, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage Le Clos is a beauty that shines on all accounts. Offering a complex bouquet of black raspberries, peppery herbs, new saddle leather, and spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, terrific balance, good freshness, and a clean, lengthy finish. Drink it any time over the coming 8-10 years. Owned by the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm, Delas Frères is another largely negotiate estate that is fashioning brilliant wines from throughout the Rhône Valley. The incredible quality has been led by Burgundian Jacques Grange, who joined Delas Frères in 1997, and he’s assisted by the talented Claire Darnaud. The 2015s, reviewed last year, are some of the finest wines ever from this estate (same league as the 2009s and 2010s). They’ve done a fine job in 2016, with the wines showing more elegant characters, missing the density or structure of a top year, yet offering balanced, very drinkable profiles. The 2017s should surpass the 2016s, but also have upfront charming characters. It’s worth noting that this estate has seen a progression in style since 2005, where the wines were more extracted and oaky, to the 2016s and 2017s today, which could be seen as more mid-weight and elegant.

Black olive notes combine with brighter, red-fruit elements on the nose of the 2016 Crozes Hermitage le Clos. It's a smooth, medium-bodied Syrah that impresses for its elegance and length rather than blockbuster concentration or richness. It should drink well for the next 6-7 years.

Opaque ruby. Pungent, mineral- and spice-accented dark berry and cherry aromas take on floral and game overtones with aeration. Juicy, sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering intense boysenberry and cherry pie flavors along with slowly emerging smoky bacon and olive qualities. Fine-grained tannins frame a long, sweet finish that leaves a sappy blue fruit note behind.