Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermitage Cuvee Alberic Bouvet 2019
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Darker concentrated fruit, such as BlackBerry and boysenberry, coupled with some herbaceousness and leather. Moderate tannins. Well- balanced.
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With a family history of winegrowing spanning four generations, Gilles Robin started in the wine business the way many in the Rhône do: his family sold grapes to the local cooperative. Nestled against the hillsides of Hermitage and Sant-Joseph in the appellation of Crozes-Hermitage, the first vineyard was planted in the late 1940s by Gilles’ grandparents, and it is this fruit that makes up his Cuvée Alberic Bouvet, named for his grandfather.
This cuvée is aged in oak barrels, of which 20% are new. The Cuvée Papillon is the product of vines Gilles planted in 1996; it is aged entirely in tank to preserve its fresh and delicate fruit. The estate now totals 15 hectares, including one planted with white varietals and a small parcel of Syrah in Saint-Joseph. His vines are planted in the stony and sandy La Terrace de Chassis district. An understated, meticulous winemaker, Gilles farms his plots organically, believing this is the best way to honestly give voice to the terroir.
Gilles Robin has truly elevated his family estate, producing powerful, elegant, and precise wines – excellent representations of Crozes-Hermitage.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Crozes-Hermitage is Northern Rhone’s largest appellation, surrounding the steep granite faces of Hermitage to its north and south. Here the rolling vineyards are less extreme and its soils, rich in clay-limestone and alluvial matter, produce Syrahs that range from fruity and charming to lush and seductive. The Syrahs of Crozes-Hermitage have more mass than those from St. Joseph but are less intense than those from Hermitage. While many are intended for early consumption, some of the best Syrahs from Crozes-Hermitage will age beautifully for 5-10 years.
Up to 15% of white grapes may theoretically be added to red Crozes at the time of fermentation but whether this is done or not depends on the decision of the winemaker. The best Crozes-Hermitage Syrahs will be fleshy with black fruit (currant, blackberry and black cherry) and bay leaf qualities, notes of tar and stone, and a well-concentrated finish of smooth tannins.
About a tenth of the wine produced in Crozes-Hermitage is white, primarily composed of Marsanne supplemented by smaller amounts of Roussanne.