2017 Crozes Hermitage Clos des Grives

Saturated magenta. Displays incisive red and dark berry scents that are complemented by suggestions of succulent flowers, baking spices and cracked pepper. Shows fine definition and mineral lift to its juicy cherry, black raspberry and spicecake flavors, which deepen slowly through the back half. Finishes long and gently chewy, with repeating spiciness and well-knit tannins.

From 50-year-old vines in Pont de l'Isère, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage Clos des Grives offers up scents of black tea, mocha and ripe plums. It's full-bodied, plush and supple on the palate, showing ample concentration and length on the long, mouthwatering finish. It's a terrific Syrah, approachable now and capable of drinking well for at least another 6-7 years.

The flagship, the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Clos Des Grives comes from a single parcel and was brought up in used oak. It's similarly deep purple/plum-colored and offers an exotic bouquet of plums, blueberries, Acacia flowers, toasted spice, vanilla, and new leather. Deep, medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, and polished on the palate, it has flawless balance, ripe yet present tannins, and a great finish. It's up with the crème de la crème in Crozes and is well worth seeking out. Along with the 2015, it's one of the finest vintages for this cuvée. There are four Crozes-Hermitage bottlings from this reference point estate, all of which are noteworthy. Starting with the Cuvée Laurent Combier, this can be thought of as the entry-level cuvee and comes mostly from the younger vines of the estate and is brought up all in concrete tanks. It was first made in 1999 and is also released under the Cuvée L label. The Domaine Combier is the estate cuvée and comes from parcels in Pont de l’Isère, Gervans, and Serves. It’s all manually harvested, destemmed, and brought up in used barrels. The Cap Nord is a smaller production release and comes only from the northern part of the appellation and more loess and granite soils. And lastly, the flagship Clos des Grives is a single vineyard release from 50-year-old vines planted in the deeper soils of the Chassis region of Crozes-Hermitage. This cuvée is all destemmed and aged 12 months in used barrels.