The Northern Rhône Valley
The home of Syrah, the noble variety renowned for its peppery, tannic qualities which lend themselves well to ageing. Rhône Syrah is rich and complex, with top wines rivalling the Crus Classés of Bordeaux and the Grands Crus of Burgundy in finesse. The very best appellations are Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, although hilltop producers in St Joseph (Pierre Gaillard amongst others) often have the raw materials to make great wines too. The 1990s were very kind to the region with some fabulous wines produced virtually every year. Subsequent decades have seen advances in both wine-growing and winemaking so that, as long as the estate is reputable, the consumer is generally spoilt for choice. The recent trio of 2015 to 2017 are particularly noteworthy vintages althpugh they are, of course, very young Syrah wines. 2009 and 2010 are top vintages which are approaching drinkability in the top wines (and already there in appellations such as St Joseph and Crozes for all but the very best wines). White wines are made from the elegant Roussanne and Marsanne except in Condrieu and Château Grillet where they are made from the exquisite (albeit expensive to produce) Viognier. |
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