Hermitage, Northern Rhône
Domaine Auguste Clape
Cornas Syrah 2005
Rene Rostaing
Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2010
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Equally enjoyable on both nights however, the nose was most powerful on Day 1. “Ampodium” (formerly Classique) is 100% Syrah sourced from a dozen or so vineyards and made in a largely traditional style; plenty of whole cluster and a very judicious use of new French oak. The 2010 “Ampodium”pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe, some desiccated and some tart, black and blue fruits: blackberries, blueberry pie, fields of lavender, black pepper, bacon fat, iodine, and granite earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and laden with rocky minerals. Totally in balance and at peak. Lovely. Drink now through 2035. — 25 days ago
Alain Graillot
Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2022
Full flavored and beautiful but unexpectedly a touch scratchy on the close. Needs time. — 13 days ago
E. Guigal
La Landonne Côte-Rotie Syrah 1989
Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2020
100 per cent Syrah. A very nice Crozes Hermitage that will provide a day to day solution for those of you who like Hermitage wines. May 2025. — 5 days ago
M. Chapoutier
"Le Pavillon" Ermitage Syrah 2015
100 point disappointment...tastes like Bordeaux...clearly very well made but with the new oak was toned down a lot! — 25 days ago
Domaine Jamet
Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2001
Slow ox for 3 hours. Deep ruby, still ruby edges. The pronounced nose was loaded with spices, olives, smoke, smoked meat, anise, clove, peppercorns, mostly tertiary dark red fruits, dried crushed violets. The palate was med+ bodied, medium grain tannin were a tad chewy and grainy, an intense but elegantly persistent palate. A long, spicy finish showed subtle fruit with the tannins showing a touch grainy/chewy and not as integrated here. Still a beauty, though not sure the tannin will resolve at this point. — 19 days ago
Shay A
My contribution to a large Rhône dinner. Standouts were ‘07 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc, ‘89 and ‘90 Jaboulet La Chappelle, ‘11 Guigal La Mouline.
An over-generalization, but what I love about Cornas is the rusticity and sometimes feral nature of the wines (which I don’t find in Hermitage or CR) and this ‘05 is in that vein. I followed this from pop (after all, we are at the almost 20yr mark) and over the course of three hours.
Interplay of red and black berry fruits, black pepper, slightly herbal (maybe closer to potpurri floral) aromatically. Bright and nimble on the palate, nothing about this is ripe or soft. Energetic acidity all the way through surrounded by notes of iron (sanguine-like) and rocky minerality. Crunchy red and black fruits (whole-cluster?), hint of gaminess but not in the meaty-style I semi-expected. Clean and pure style of Syrah. Big structure at the finish…hard to imagine drinking this 10+yrs ago. Acidity and tannin will carry this a long time, but I think this is peak window for getting depth of fruit and complexity. — 11 hours ago