Two Very Fine Viogniers. One from the Rhone, the other from South Africa’s Paarl.

Two Very Fine Viogniers. 

One from the Rhone, 

the other from South Africa’s Paarl.

Ferraton Viognier Collines Rhodaniennes (IGP) 2019, 13.5%

€19.50 Ardkeen Grocery Store, Waterford// Little Green Grocer,

Kilkenny// Manning's, Ballylickey// The Olive Branch, Clonakilty.

This mellow full bodied Viognier, from the Northern Rhone, comes in a lovely bright yellow colour with green hints. Apricot (with pear and orange) plus floral notes combine to promise much as they lead the aromas. And the promise is well delivered on the cheering palate, soft and thick, fresh and vibrant, all the way to a very pleasant fruity finish. 

It comes unostentatiously (it is after all the relation and neighbour of the ultra-famous, and much more expensive Condrieu), laden with a sack full of delicious scents and flavours. Very Highly Recommended.

Collines Rhodaniennes more or less covers the entire Northern Rhone, stretching from Montélimar (well-known for its nougat) in the south to Lyon (capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) in the north, and its IGP replaces Vin de France. 

The fruit for this Ferraton is grown on the right bank of the Rhône, along the foothills of northern Ardèche. The terroir is composed of granite and decomposed granite. Traditional agriculture methods are in use and the harvest is carried out manually when the grapes reach optimum ripeness. 

It is recommended to serve this wine at 12-13°C as aperitif, with foie gras, with salads, with grilled meat and all fish dishes. Wine Folly suggests dishes flavoured with almonds, citrus, stewed fruits, and aromatic herbs such as Thai Basil and tarragon. And, with its apricot influences, you could also try it, as Grapes & Wines indicate, with pork or chicken with an apricot stuffing. Also, the Armenian dish of trout and apricot should be another match.

I often wonder does the name of this grape put newcomers off buying a bottle, especially if you have to pronounce it. Here’s how: vee-own-yay. Much of the Viognier we come across here in Ireland is from France but it is grown around the world and finding favour in Australia and California in particular. And we've got another good one below from South Africa.

Charles Back

Fairview Viognier, Paarl South Africa 2020, 13.5% 

RRP €24.99 The 1601 / Wineonline.ie

The South African Viognier by Fairview has a bright light gold colour with exotic fruit aromas along with subtle oak notes. It is vibrant and refreshing in the mouth, rich and complex with apricot shining through, peach and lime in there as well. A lively acidity contributes to the balance along with the subtle oak. It feels close to creamy (thanks in part to its time on lees). And there’s a long lasting finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The grapes were hand picked in the early morning and whole bunch pressed. Only the free run juice was used. Sixty per cent of the Viognier was fermented in French oak barrels (20% new) with the remaining 40% fermented in stainless-steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine was left to mature on lees for eight months, with regular stirring, prior to being blended for additional texture and body.

The fruit is sourced from the vineyards at Fairview farm in Agter-Paarl. These trellised Fairview vines are grown on the slopes of Paarl mountain, on decomposed granite soils. Summer canopy management practices including leaf removal and shoot positioning ensure optimal sunlight penetration into the canopies.

I heard owner Charles Back and wine-maker Charl du Plessis, in a Zoom presentation the year before last, say the high cropping level is a problem. “We need to manage the canopy. Treat it as a red grape early on, the aim always is to get the correct balance between the alcohol and the tannins.” I reckon they got it spot-on in 2020.

That year, unlike previous vintages, was very good, not just for the region, but for South Africa in general. Winters were cool with sufficient rainfall. Spring was mild and summer saw warmer temperatures allowing fruit to ripen at a steady rate. The Viognier was harvested between the 2nd - 7th February.

The Fairview website, naturally enough, is proud of the achievements of owner Charles who  was awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Wine Challenge in 2014. He is a true pioneer of the region, credited with bringing Mediterranean varieties to the Cape. 

“One of the (many) gifts that Charles Back has brought to Cape wine was, and still is, Fairview Viognier. Planting the mother block of this French grape in 1994, Charles and team have nurtured this variety to bring you a gorgeously aromatic and refined wine. A must try!”

 

Hitting the spot with Gamay and Garnatxa. Two gorgeous reds for your short-list!

Hitting the spot with Gamay and Garnatxa. Two gorgeous reds for your short-list!

Bonne Tonne Cuvée Cléa Régnié (AC) 2019, 13.5%,

Look out for this in restaurants. If you find it in retail (Mary Pawle Wines), expect to pay €34 to 35.

From a small Beaujolais estate, Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, comes this lovely light ruby wine.  Gentle aromas of berries welcome you to the glass, invite you to sip. And you know you’ll have fruit-driven flavours (strawberries, raspberries mostly)  and balancing acidity to enjoy all the way to a soft and sweet spice finish. Another excellent Beaujolais, full of finesse and gently expressive fruit and Very Highly Recommended, from a family winery that I’ve come to admire over the past few years.

They  (Anne-Laure and Thomas) say this wine, “is a bit special for us because it bears the first name of our daughter ‘Cléa’ born in 2017.” Thomas likes to say that it matches his daughter’s personality, which is “full of character.”

No added sulfites or inputs! It is a 100% natural cuvée, 100% Gamay. It is produced in small quantities, hence its name “micro-cuvée”. This cuvée gives a structured wine, with spices and character. However, this spicy side does not dominate and yields to much more subtle and silky aromas.

There are ten crus in Beaujolais: Chiroubles, Saint Amour, Fleurie, Régnié (the most recently created cru), Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. It is mostly a red wine area and Gamay is the top red grape. Just two per cent of the harvest is white, mostly Chardonnay, and quite a lot of that, especially in Northern Beaujolais, is sold under the better-known Macon appellation according to Jean Bourjade (Cork 2016), then MD Inter Beaujolais.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne is a small Beaujolais estate and perhaps best known for their superb wines from the famous Morgan cru, including Les Charmes, Grand Cras and Côte du Py, all three available via Mary Pawle and all three Very Highly Recommended on this blog.

The Gamay grape produces wine that “pairs with all manner of dishes..” According to Wine Folly. Outside of France, “Gamay has a tiny but devoted following.” Happy to be included in the tiny fan base.

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Dit Celler Selenita Garnatxa Negra (DO Monsant) 2019, 14.5% ABV. 

RRP  about €17.20. The Dairy Toon's Bridge/ Olive Branch, Clonakilty / Mary Pawle Wines

Montsant in Catalonia in the northeast of Spain and is more or less next door to the much better known Priorat. The two produce broadly similar wines but Montsant’s are sold at lower prices. 

Montsant is a relatively new DO (established formally in 2001) and takes its name from a rocky massif that wraps itself around Priorat. Its vineyards, planted on limestone, are situated in picturesque hilly countryside, scattered amongst rocky peaks, woods, almond trees and olive groves. No shortage of diversity here.

Importer Mary Pawle says if you are fond of the robust wines of Priorat “then this Montsant from the opposite valley should please. A powerful wine made from Garnacha, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Firm tannins and well suited to hard sheep’s cheese or ref meat dishes.”

You’ll know straightaway from the slow-clearing legs or tears on the walls of your glass that this is a high alcoholic wine. Colour is a dark ruby.  Intense dark fruit aromas (plum, cherry, cassis), toasty notes too. Powerful yet velvety on the palate, elegant, deeply flavoured and tannins by now well-integrated (you’ll get a soft reminder on the lips), smooth spice, and the long finish echoes the palate. A big hug of a wine and Very Highly Recommended.

The producer: Vibrant and complex, this wine is made with grapes from very old vines, and aged in French oak for 18 months. ….the "Marinada", the cold wind that enters the mountains in the afternoon from the Mediterranean Sea, give the wines a special freshness, characteristic of this area.

Are you a Selenita? Now that we know about Montsant, how about the name of the wine? The Selenita are the inhabitants of the moon and the producers infer that some of their night-time magic has been bottled. You too are free to use your imagination! While we’re on it, the winery is named after its founders Dani Sánchez (from Azul y Garanza in Navarra) and Toni Coca, so D and T (DiT).

To mark World Grenache day in September, Decanter Online published a list of 18 top scoring examples to try. No less than fourteen of them were from Spain! Details here. 

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Best Value Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Wine Ways: A marvellous Morgon from “rotten rock” and an ingenious Garnacha from concrete eggs. Wine+Jazz with Kate Barry

Wine Ways:

A marvellous Morgon from “rotten rock” 

and an ingenious Garnacha from concrete eggs

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Kate Barry's World of Wine Tasting (and Jazz) at Le Caberet, Cork 28th October 5.30 pm. For info and tickets click here. 

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Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2020, 14.5% ABV

€33 at The Vintry in Rathgar, Dublin; Manning's Emporium in Ballylickey &

Connemara Hamper in Clifden; Mary Pawle Wines

A ruby coloured gem from “rotten rock”!

This Morgan from the famed lieu-dit of Côte du Py has a darker shade of ruby than you’d expect for the Gamay grape. Intense, rich and inviting dark berry aromas, fresh and complex with a floral lift. The palate is also complex and rich, full of flavours (sour cherry, strawberry and raspberry), with a spicy vanilla character, all in balance through to a long and intense minerally finish. An amazing wine, consistent year after year, and once again Very Highly Recommended.

The producers were, and are, very happy, not to mention confident, with this one. “Let it age, if you can, to take advantage of the complexity. We would go blind on a very beautiful well-born Pinot…” Looks like a challenge to the neighbours in Burgundy!

The Morgon "Côte du Py", is the most famous climat of the vineyard. There are ten crus in the Beaujolais region and Morgon, as you probably know, is one of them. With the typical acidity, these wines can match a range of foods. One suggestion that I fancy is Moroccan Lamb Tagine with apricot. Open the wine into a carafe about 30 minutes before serving at 16°C. 

World famous for its exceptional soil resulting from ancient volcanic activity, the soil of the Py hill is composed of decomposing volcanic elements, with the presence of iron oxide and manganese. The blue rock is friable, and so the locals have been known to claim that the best Morgon are made on this land of  terre pourrie (rotten rock)!

Organic Agriculture. The work on the entire estate is manual with the use of animal traction (Vigano, a magnificent Comtois, is calling for help!) for ploughing. The vines (mainly old), on a south-west facing hillside are grassy or slightly scratched. The estate puts into practice certain elements from biodynamics (preparations, calendar). Yields are very limited (30hl/ha on average) and manual harvesting. Traditional Beaujolais vinification: semi-carbonic maceration in concrete vats for 18 days. No inputs: indigenous yeasts and no SO2 or chaptalisation. Aging in demi-muids (large casks of indefinite size). Very low doses of SO2 (<20mg/L) at bottling.

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Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez Ingenium Garnacha, DO Rioja 2020, 13.5% ABV

€23.25 RRP. Mostly available in restaurants. Also at Mary Pawle Wines 

This limited production Ingenium comes in a pale red colour. Aromas are  moderately intense with stewed fruit and dried herbs in the mix. High intensity red fruit flavours highlight the palate, spicy too, but this is an elegant, smooth and well balanced wine. Just a little grip from the tannins as the Ingenium finishes dry and long. Very Highly Recommended.

Producers Ruiz Jimenez say it is the perfect option to accompany different dishes, meals, and snacks. "Either alone or with good company.”

Mary Pawle tells me this is a recent addition “to our range of wines from Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez…matured in concrete eggs  to provide greater complexity”. On the rather sparse front label (there is none on the back) you read Vino Tinto Elológico and no added sulphites.

While Garnacha is grown around the world, the vast majority of it is grown in France (here it is called Grenache) and Spain. Italy leads the distant chasing pack and here the grape is called Cannonau.

And why is the title Ingenium? The winemakers explain: “Ingenio, is in Spanish, ingenious, this is, the innate quality to invent, to create, to be original. Under this name, we present our most inventive wines. Natural, creative and of limited production. Our most inventive, creative and natural wines, with limited production.” Just three wines in this series. In addition to the Garnacha, they make a Tempranillo and also Maturana Blanca.

The Jimenez Winery is one of the better ones and Mary Pawle has quite a few of their wines on her list including the Graciano , that we Very Highly Recommended recently here.

A duo of characterful wines, one from the unique Corbieres terroir, the other from the prolific Rhone.

A duo of characterful wines, one from the unique Corbieres terroir, the other from the prolific Rhone.

A Rhone village

Château de Bastet “Aeris” Côtes du Rhone 2019, 13%,

RRP €17.95-€18.25. The Grainey, Scarriff//

Taste, Castletownbere// The Olive Branch, Clonakilty// Mary Pawle

Aeris, from Avignon, is a Biodynamic Rhone white made from (mostly) a blend of Marsanne, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier grapes. It has a pale straw yellow colour. Aromas are not the strongest but are not delicate either, beautiful and inviting floral scents and ripe fruit too. Initial sip makes a tart impression but soon the fruit (citrus and apricot and exotic too) asserts itself all the way through to a fresh finish. 

Generally, white Côtes du Rhone have a clear and crisp appearance, with a floral and fruit bouquet and a well balanced palate. This “Aeris”, organic and biodynamic, certainly fits that description. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees and you’ll find it is the perfect match to grilled fish, shellfish, fish stew and goat cheeses. Would be a good match too with a vegetable tart or with a chicken dishes. Salade Nicoise too. Pretty versatile.

Château de Bastet lies on the outskirts of Sabran, a village in the Gard region 45 km west of Nîmes and 35 km north of Avignon. The story of Château de Bastet is one of family traditions and a profound love of this land, a passion reflected in the wines made here. Welcome to a truly unique winemaking estate where past, present and future are united under the banner of biodynamic agriculture, a cohesive combination of traditional craftsmanship and the Art of Living.

Highly Recommended and, by the way, well priced. Aeris is one of a trio in the winery’s four elements series. The others are Terram (a fruity red C-d-R) and Ignis (an intense red C-d-R). Don’t think they have a fourth on offer. Might not be appropriate to call a wine Aqua!

Sainte Croix Pourboire Nature 2018, 13%

RRP €18.50-€19: Little Green Grocer,Kilkenny// Organico, Bantry// The Connemara Hamper, Clifden.  

As usual, the Sainte Croix label tells you most of what you need to know about the wine in the bottle. This is the story of this one: terroir -  hautes Corbières - limestone - Carignan - delicious fresh fruit - living soils - soft tannins - wild herbs - passion - wine without compromise. 

Colour is a deep red with purple hints. Crushed blackcurrant leads the aromatics and there’s a floral presence as well and more than a hint of outdoor freshness, perhaps from the local garrigue (popping and cracking in a hot summer). And that melange of fruit and floral, matched by a fresh acidity, all born and bred in the unique Corbieres terroir, makes for a superb palate. Tannins are featherlight, barely a tickle, and the finish is long and satisfying. Very Highly Recommended.

Saint Croix tell us there is nothing added. “Nothing, ie no SO2, yeast, tannins, enzymes, fining products etc etc. A red that remains very close to black fruits and garrigue herbs. From the Free Electron Series. Fermentation in vats at 23-26°C for 15 days, with indigenous yeasts and without input. On fine lees in vats for 6 months; breeding without SO2. Bottled without SO2.”

Sainte Croix in the Languedoc is owned and run by the English husband and wife team of Jon and Elizabeth Bowen, who have extensive experience of working both in classic French stone ‘caves’ and giant, steel wineries in many parts of the world. From first sight of the unique geology and ‘climat’ here, professional intuition made it clear that it is an area of immense potential, a potential they consistently realise in their wines and illustrated well in this lovely wine, a blend of 80% Carignan and  20% Grenache.

Most of the world’s Carignan is grown in the south of France, both in the Languedoc and in neighbouring Côtes Catalanes. Surprisingly, former French colonies Tunisia and Algeria come second and third. While the fruit may have been grown in the Corbieres, it doesn’t get the AOC and is labelled simply as a Vin De France. A rather superb one though!

I read that Wine Folly recommends  Carignan as an “amazing choice for Thanksgiving and holiday fare” as it works well with cinnamon spiced dishes, berry based sauces and smoky meats. 

Two Top Wines Just For You. An Elegant Cool Jazz Rioja. And A Flirty Bossa Nova Pét-Nat

 Two Top Wines Just For You. 

An Elegant Cool Jazz Rioja. 

And A Flirty Bossa Nova Pét-Nat 

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Osoti Crianza Rioja (DOC) 2017, 14% 

€18.25 Organico, Bantry / Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny /

Mortons of Galway / The Olive Branch, Clonakilty / The Dairy at Toon's

Bridge

This Crianza Rioja has a dark cherry colour with a ruby rim. Aromas include red and black fruit notes and vanilla too. More dark fruits, especially plum on the palate, spices also in this rich wine. In the flavours, herbs, raspberries, plums and a little anise. Enough acidity to maintain balance. Rich and elegant with a lengthy, and spicy, aftertaste. A superb example of Rioja quality and Very Highly Recommended.

Importer Mary Pawle says: An exceptional blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, elegant with nicely concentrated cherry fruit and stylish vanilla oak.  Smooth and easy drinking .

The label indicates that it is organic, has been aged in barrels 12 months. “From our oldest Garnacha and Tempranillo vineyards. Organically grown, harvest and selected by hand.”

Osoti by the way is a brand of Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez and you will see quite a few of his excellent wines on the Mary Pawle list.

This is not one of quiet wines. Osoti: “Robust wine of balanced acidity. It has enveloping, silky tannins, which together with the notes of smoked, dried fruits, vanilla and cinnamon, give us a … prolonged palate. Best pairings include, blue fish, red meat, various types of cheeses, snacks, etc. Also enjoyed alone or with good company. Made with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha organic grapes.”

Rioja Classifications

Wondering what a Crianza is? Well, it it one of the classifications that indicates the age of the wine in your bottle and you’ll see a stamp at the rear to confirm it. Reserva is another but you should note that Rioja takes these terms seriously, it is a guarantee, and you can rely on the system. In some countries, reserva is at the producers whim, with no supervisory system in place!

Generic: This category guarantees the origin and vintage of wine. They are usually wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruit. This category may also include other wines that do not fit into the categories of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva, if they have been subjected to an ageing process that is not certified by the Control Board.

Crianzas are wines which are at least in their third year, having spent a minimum of one year in oak barrels. For white wines, the minimum barrel ageing period is 6 months.

Reserva These are meticulously selected wines with a minimum ageing between oak barrels and the bottle of three years, of which at least one has to be in barrels, followed and complemented by a minimum 6 months’ ageing in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum ageing period is 2 years, with at least 6 months in barrels.

Grand Reserva These are wines of great vintages that have been painstakingly aged for a total of sixty months with at least two years in oak barrels and two years in the bottle. For white wines, the minimum ageing period is 4 years, with at least 6 months in barrels.

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Entre Vinyes Oníric Pét-Nat Rosé 2021, 11.0% 

€16.75: Ardkeen Grocery , Waterford / The Olive Branch, Clonakilty / limited supply

Pet-Nat is short for pétillant naturel: an ancient natural wine making technique. It is traditionally cloudy, unfiltered, and often bottled with a crown cap. The wine is bottled before primary fermentation is finished, without the addition of secondary yeasts or sugars. Nature is left to do its job and develop the finished product without the intervention of a winemaker. Each bottle is unique and you can’t predict what it will turn out like.  It’s produced in white, rosé and red, making it a versatile choice.

Mary Pawle imports this lovely, lightly sparkling Rosé from Baix Penedes in Catalunya.  Made with Garnacha grapes that are from vines almost 50 years old. Hand harvested and natural yeast fermentation. Just 11% ABV.

Colour is a cloudy rosé. On pouring, you create a large white “head” but it won’t hang about. This is easy drinking, approachable and refreshing, with good depth and length. And of course, it has that pleasant sparkly tingle. Crunchy red fruit flavours  (raspberry, strawberry) and just enough acidity to balance, make it harmonious all the way to the lip-smacking dry finish. A wine for sun and fun and good company. Highly Recommended. It is enjoyed mainly as an aperitif but should pair well with seafood, also salads (both savoury and fruit).

• By the way, you will notice some sediment in the bottle. This, and the cloudiness, is a natural part of the process. If you wish, gently turn the bottle upside down and the sediment will dissolve. Just be careful when opening the cap, as the inversion could lead to a rush to the top! There won’t be any big bang but you could get wet! If you’d prefer not to drink the sediment, then just pour carefully and leave it in the bottom of the bottle.

Is it a copycat version of champagne? Not so. It is the other way around if anything, as Pét-Nat has been around longer. Pét-Nat is bottled while still undergoing its first round of fermentation. The French call this process “methode ancestral” and you may see that on some labels.

You may see “bottle fermented,” or the Italian “col fondo,” (more or less a  pét-nat Prosecco). The crown cap and that little bit of sediment are other clues!

The method is pretty widespread across the wine world. Most are fun and good with food, especially lighter dishes. Uncomplicated, authentic and quite diverse, Pét-Nat puts the sparkle on your dinner table or even picnic spread. It is bubbles without the hefty price tag.

Stunning Vermouth by Bodegas Robles and a gem from Ermitage

Stunning Vermouth by Bodegas Robles

Bodegas Robles VRMT Vermut de Robles NV 15%

€28.00  (1 litre) Manning’s , Ballylickey// Toon’s Bridge Dairy// Good Food Store, Dublin// Mary Pawle Wines 

Amazing aromas with strong hints of the Oloroso sherry base and a “top-up” of Pedro Ximenez. Layers and layers of flavours on the rich palate, an appealing blend of freshness and maturity. The ten aromatic plants foraged in the locality have their say . An amazing liquid with a superb balance of sweetness and bitterness with the acidity playing a key role as the caravan of flavour rolls on and on to the heavenly finalé.

And we owe this taste of the past and the present and perhaps of a future paradise to Bodegas Robles and Michelin-starred chef Paco Morales who have produced this luscious vermouth with Robles’ 8-year old Oloroso as the base, and then that later light touch of the PX. The aromatic plants add a sense of terroir while other Paco additions such as clove and cinnamon echo the cuisine (of the Moorish Al-Andalus period (8th -15th century), all adding to the sense that this is indeed a special one!

Pairings recommended by the producers are:
A good pairing for nuts, fruits such as orange or lemon, a cheese and raspberry cake. Any sea food and all kinds of fish: tuna, cod, salmon, anchovies. It's perfect with sweet flavours, especially those with more sweet and dark flavour. Olives, cheeses, ham, sausages, smoked meats, mussels, clams.

I did try the vermouth with Macadamia nuts and Valencia almonds, each from Olives West Cork (via Neighbourfood). The suppliers say “addictive and really shouldn't be shared, these Spanish Almonds are crunchy and far superior than the typical almonds on offer. Lovely on their own, in rice dishes tossed with fresh herbs, salads or breads.”

The macadamia nuts come from Australia and are “top grade”. Crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside. The soft, buttery core immediately gives you an idea of it's oily content with 85% mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Quite delicious indeed.

It also paired very well with the creamy Wicklow Bán, a Brie, not so well with a Dunnes Stores extra mature Cheddar (not a reflection at all on the quality of the cheese).

Very versatile, as you can see. But enjoy it too as an aperitif, 40ml or so over ice, is a lovely introduction before sipping it neat with any of the above. I also found it makes a superb Negroni with the usual suspects Gin and Campari, each accounting for a third of the drink. Still experimenting - just as well it comes in a one litre bottle!

Ferraton Les Dionnières Ermitage (AC) 2006, 14%.

Popular in restaurants. Info at Mary Pawle Wines 

Deep ruby is the colour with a lighter rim. Aromas are engaging from the minute you extract the cork (this one has been in place for 16 years!). Lots of dark fruit for me but also a floral cloak (violets). Amazing on the palate, complex. With a gentle power. The aromas continue of course and those fruits and spice are echoed on the palate. And the finish, with that spice outstanding, just goes on and on. Very Highly Recommended.

The Ferraton wine story begins in 1946 in the Rhone Valley with Jean Orëns Ferraton, a vigneron, and son of a vigneron. Michel, his son, inherited the same passion. He decided to give a new dimension to his father’s vineyards and that began in 1998 when Michel Chapoutier, a close friend of the family, shared his know-how. And from the old traditional ways, a path is laid to organic viticulture. An audacious step for Maison Ferraton Père & Fils.

Wine Folly say “the hill of Hermitage is famous for its emboldened Syrah wines that usually need around 5–10 years before you open them”. Reckon I timed this one fairly well. Probably too late to get your hands in this one now but the 2009 and 2010 are worth looking out for.

They continue: “Wines from L’Ermitage do not come cheap.” Ermitage? We need to reverse here, about 1,000 years. An ex crusader had become a hermit on the hill and so it was called Ermitage (meaning hermit’s hill). 

But when the English came, it seems their tongues couldn’t quite handle Ermitage so they added the H. And the new name stuck and is still with us though the old name will appear on some labels as is the case here.

And then there’s Crozes-Hermitage. This is a larger area bordering the famous hill but without the hill’s favourable exposure to the sun and its wines are not as highly regarded. In good harvests though, the Crozes wines can be great value.

Speaking of names, the grape is known as Shiraz in Australia where it is the second most planted red variety. France tops the world rankings for the amount grown with Australia in second spot.

Aside from Syrah, the number one crop in eight of the Northern Rhone’s crus, the other famous grape here is Viognier, about the only grape grown in the other two crus, Condrieu and the minuscule Château-Grille.

Geek Bits

GRAPE VARIETY -100 % Syrah. 30 year old vines grafted in situ.

SOIL - Clay and limestone, with round pebbles at the surface.
South facing.

VINIFICATION - Grapes are destemmed. Maceration in concrete vats, used to slow the change in temperature, for about four weeks (depending on vintage). Extraction made by pumping over and punching down.

MATURING - In oak barrels for 14 to 18 months depending on the vintage (20 to 30% in new oak).