CROZES HERMITAGE WHITE
« In our whites we want gently perfumed, elegance. They are rich and have a high natural alcohol.” TO achieve this we remove excess leaves around the grape clusters which enables maximum sun ripening. Then we prune green clusters, keeping only the finest in order to control yields and ripening which influences our late harvesting.
Grape varietals: 70% marsanne, 30% roussane.
Soil: clay and limestone
Exposure: East side hillsides.
Vineyard : worked mechanically, no herbicides. No irrigation allowed. Vines are forced to grow resistant.
Wine-making: Organic, no chemical additives.
Harvest: small amounts of sulphur are added so that the natural yeasts of our terroir can react, because we believe that absolutely no man-made yeast should be used.
Fermentation: Temperature: rather high; in order to extract richness and varying aromas.
Elevage: 100% metal tank so that the characteristics of each of our two white grape varietals are expressed.
Serve: At 10-12 degrees Celsius as an Aperitif with fresh
water fish. Superb for creating sauces and then serving as their
accompaniment.
Can be enjoyed young for its freshness and aromas but also develops a more
affirmed character with age.
CROZES HERMITAGE CLASSIC RED
Vines: 3 communes: Mercurol, LaRoche de Glun, and Pont d’Isère. Several parcels of all different ages, for which the average is 20+ years.
Varietal: All Syrah.
Soil: alluvium and granite ancient glacier riverbeds
Vineyard: Leaves in close proximity of grape clusters are removed to enable maximum sun absorption.
Harvest: Late and manually.
Vinification: Like for the white we do not use any
man-made yeasts; for the reds we destem.
Fermentation: Temperatures go up progressively from 20-32 degrees Celsius, and
then we maintain them at 30 degrees Celsius.
Cuvaison: Average 3 weeks: Pumping over, covering the entirety of the cap to ensure maximum extraction is done twice daily. After that we do two punch downs.
Elevage: Takes place in 20% demi-muids and 80% in metal tank, so that the fruit can have priority.
2005:
Color: Ruby.
Nose: Wild fruit.
Taste: Supple and elegant tannins, with an explosion of fruit.
Serve: With white meats.
CROZES HERMITAGE RED “LE ROUVRE”
Vines: La Tête de Cuvée is a parcel of terroir in “Les Chassis” situated at the Pont de l’Isère. Here you’ll find our oldest vines (of more than 40 years) with a soil containing lots of big rounded rocks called “galets roulés”.
Varietal: Syrah.
Vineyard: Same as previous wine, and pruning selected grape clusters.
Vinification: Same as previous wine but we take out the “vin de presse", which goes into the Crozes classique, and we keep purely the "vin de goutte" for the Rouvre, Tête de Cuvée, which is then raised in one-wine or two-wine-Hermitage demi-muids.
Elevage: exclusively in demi-muids.
Taste: notes of cassis, and an even balance of strong round tannins.
Serve: At 18 degrees Celsius with red meats. A wine that keeps for awhile.
HERMITAGE RED
Vines: Our Hermitage is situated on two parcels: Beaume and Peléat on loess soil. Particularly good south-west sun exposure. 25 year old vines.
Varietal: Syrah, which is very well adapted to our region.
Soil: Mostly granite.
Exposure: protected from the north wind, good sun.
Vineyard: Leaves are thinned around the grape clusters to ensure maximum sun. Some grape clusters are removed in order to not exceed 35 Hl/Ha yields. Manuel harvest with rigorous selection, generally very late to achieve best maturity.
Vinification: Identical to Crozes.
Cuvaison: 3-4 weeks to achieve maximum extractions, without astringency.
Elevage: Exclusively in new demi-muids. Duration: 1 year. Demi-muid size is chosen because wood barrels of smaller size would mark the Syrah too much.
2005:
Color: Good intensity with hues of purple and garnet.
Nose: fresh and velvety.
Mouth: rests on concentrated tannins, full of finesse. Long.
Serve: At 18 degrees with red meats, giblets, stuffed rabbit, filet of
doe, goat with pepper sauce, and cheese. Wine for long keeping.