WINE OF THE WEEK - 2017 Domaine Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage La Cuvee Nicolas

Apr 22

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Hello, fellow wine lover! Welcome to another edition of Wine Wednesday, Wineitupanotch style!

This week, I found myself hanging out in the Northern Rhone. And why not? The wines of the Rhone Valley are treasured in the wine world. And for good reason! Rich and unctuous, baked in the sun and wind, these wines are usually heady and delicious.

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that every week on Wednesday, I look forward to foraging through the shelves of my local liquor store, on a treasure hunt to hopefully uncover a cool and formerly unfamiliar wine to share with you!

The special thing here is that if and when I find something good, it’s a wine that you too can actually purchase because it is readily available at the time of writing this blog post entry! I love this because all too often, you read a review about a great wine and then can’t actually find it, which can be so annoying. If you want to know more about why and how I do this, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.

Now I’d be remiss not to point out that because I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I buy my wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).

However, the wines I pick are generally widely available in most major markets and online too. So if you like what you read, you should be able to find the wine wherever you like to shop.

For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews.

And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage La Cuvee Nicolas

This week’s wine comes from the Rhone Valley, specifically the Northern Rhone, which rests in central France, right under Beaujolais. There are many appellations and sub-appellations in the Rhone Valley, in addition to the macro-delineation of North vs. South. With so much to try from this wine pocket, it’s fun to explore and try different things. This week’s wine is a great entry level example of what this region can offer. Read on to learn what you need to know about this wine!

What does this wine cost?

$33.95/bottle.

Where does this wine come from?

This wine comes from the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, which is the largest appellation of the Northern Rhone. Often confused with the prestigious Hermitage appellation, it is important to note that they are not one in the same.

Crozes-Hermitage surrounds Hermitage and the wines from here are (unquestionably) less highly regarded. In return, they are also usually far more affordable.

The appellation produces primarily red wine, though a small amount of white wine is also made. Syrah is the dominant variety in the red wines of Crozes-Hermitage, where it must constitute at least 85% of any red wine.

It is worth noting that a lot of the wines that come from this appellation are made by cooperatives (though this is not the case for this wine).

Check out this website to learn more about the Crozes-Hermitage AOC.

Why is this wine unique?

I like Crozes-Hermitage wines because, as is the case for most Rhone wines, they are rich in earth, fruit and spice notes. They have a deeper and more brooding quality than most other examples of Syrah/Shiraz from other parts of the world.

This particular example is 100% Syrah.

Who makes this wine?

Domaine Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle is a family owned and operated estate that is run by a father-son team who own 7 hectares of land in the Crozes-Hermitage/Hermitage appellations. They produce several “cuvees”, from specific parcels of land. Click here to learn more about Domaine Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Syrah

Vine age - 10 years

Soil type - granite, clay, sand

In the field - grapes are hand harvested

ABV - 13%

Residual Sugar - 2 g/L

My tasting notes:

This wine is very purple and opaque in the glass. On the nose, it is richly perfumed with plum and dark cherry, earth, vegetal and spice notes. On the palate, the wine is restrained and elegant, with good balance and structure, and feathery tannins. The finish is long and spicy and the overall impression is elegant and silky.

Aging potential:

This wine can easily be aged for 3-5 years. I would recommend decanting it for an hour if you are going to drink it now.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Pair this wine with roasted meat or sausages in puy lentils. It would also go well with a mushroom risotto.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 89 points

A good, solid value red wine that shows the richness and potential of the Northern Rhone. This wine is perfect for rich meat dishes!

If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #19283.

FINAL VERDICT:

This is a great wine for those who don’t wish to blow their budget on wine, but want to try something with a bit of cache and a decent measure of oomph!

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!