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Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle

In the past, I found the wines of Jean-Claude & Nicolas Fayolle on the rustic side and pretty forbidding to taste young. One look at their label, and you knew, for sure, that you were not about to drink a modern, tricked-up bottle of Syrah. Also, whole clusters and no new oak are standard policies here. Things seemed to shift about five years ago. While these wines are still on the brooding side compared to many of their neighbors, the tannins are more manageable, and a fair amount of the wild, highly savory aspects have been brought to heel. These are still old-school wines with a solid following of clients who crave that style. There’s no question that these are highly satisfying to drink with the right food and at the right time of year (hint: it isn’t summer).

It should be noted that all the domaine’s Crozes-Hermitage holdings, which comprise six hectares, are located on the prized, granitic soils of the northern sector of the appellation. The Hermitage Dionnières (aka “Diognieres”) is drawn for one hectare and is the pride of this estate, for good reason. It’s built for long aging, and even decanting for a while usually doesn’t make it want to come out and play.

From Never a Dull Vintage in the Northern Rhône (Dec 2022) by Josh Raynolds

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2020 Crozes-Hermitage La Rochette

Release Price: $30

Color: Red

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