King of the North
SYRAH in the Northern Rhône
Too frequently overlooked and misunderstood as a ‘heavy grape’, Syrah produces some of the most elegant wines the world over. Overgeneralization is a dangerous road upon which to travel. Riesling is not sweet; sweet Riesling is sweet (a hint at a future post;). Similarly, Syrah is not heavy. Wines are made by humans who make choices (sometimes good, sometimes poor) and grow wine grapes in different climates from different soils. It is these two factors which help account for the misgivings that all Syrah are created equally. I often say, “The same grape grown in different places has different faces,” and, “The most important decision in winemaking is when to pick your grapes, then leave it up to humankind to elevate or destroy nature’s brilliance.” We are going to explore four Syrah from three different appellations of the Northern Rhône where Syrah is king sitting on a throne made of granite. But first a little history…
Syrah, Shiraz, Sira, Sirac, and Syra (oh my) - Antourenein Noir, Balsamina, Candive, Entournerein, Hignin Noir, Marsanne Noir…they are all the same grape. Ampelography (the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines) has debunked the previous notion that the grape was first referred to as ‘Shiraz’ due to the ancient Persian capital of the same name. It is well documented that Shiraz (the city) was a great producer of wines, there is however no evidence that it was made from the grape featured in this post. Instead, DNA profiling has shown that Syrah is a cross between two minor Rhône varieties: Dureza (a black-skinned grape) and Mondeuse Blanche (a white grape), neither of which is planted prolifically today. This proves Syrah's origins in the Rhône. Known for black fruit and black pepper with occasional meaty overtones that only intensify and/or evolve over time, it’s savory with elegant fruit and seriously yummy. And now….wine!
The appellation’s name translates to ‘roasted slope’. The hillsides are very steep and you guessed it, get a lot of sunshine. I said SUNSHINE, not heat. I’ve definitely expelled some sweat while visiting the Northern Rhône, but it’s actually about the same mean temperature as Beaune in Burgundy (p.s., I’ve sweated there too;) Ok, so maybe I overstressed the ‘granite’ aspect of this particular region as there are really two terroirs here – Granite and Schist (darker Schist with Iron Oxide producing stronger more structured wines and blonder Granite producing more elegant, more perfumed wines). Did you know that Beaujolais at the southern tip of Burgundy is actually part of the Rhône Department? I know, weird, right? Less weird however, when you consider that Côte-Rôtie in particular is at the northern tip of the Northern Rhône. And they BOTH contain Granite soils. Alas, up to 20% of the white grape Viognier can be blended into wines from here. Gaillard’s Côte-Rôtie is representative of all of the vineyards to which he tends and full range of terroirs to boot, though mostly Schist. He elects to incorporate 10% Viognier which lightens the load on the palate a bit and affords a bit more perfume. This is super pretty stuff and from a GREAT vintage! It will drink well now, but even better in another 5-8 years and hold for 25-35 total. Pretty impressive, right? Wait until you pop the cork and find a wine that is fruity, fleshy and refined with elements of smoke and some lift and freshness provided by the Viognier. Sip it, cellar it…it’s a star either way!
[Crowj ER-mitaj] The soils of Crozes-Hermitage are quite varied. The most extensive area, located south and east of Tain-l’Hermitage, comprises thick layers of gravel shaped by different glacial periods (Riss and Würm) interspersed with red clay. These create fairly flat landforms known as plateaux or terrasses such as the Châssis or Sept Chemins. Heading northwest, the landforms become steeper and form hillsides. Near Larnage and Crozes-Hermitage is a stony terrace (Mindel glaciation) covered with loess or white kaolin sand (producing highly aromatic wines). The northern localities (Serves-sur-Rhône, Érôme and Gervans) are situated on granite soils also covered with loess (wind-blown material). Sure, that’s a lot of wine-nerd speak to digest. Rest assured that the wines are much more readily digested themselves. Hermitage, proper, is the most famous hill in the area and is steeper and at higher elevation than the lower, rolling hillsides of Crozes. However, not only are the wines from Crozes more readily accessible, they are waaaaay more affordable and very pleasant in their own right. Darnaud’s ‘Mis en Bouche’ which translates to ‘put in mouth’ (his words) evokes just such a notion of early drinkability. Fermented and aged in concrete vats, the wine exhibits loads of black fruit (blackberries) with certain licorice and thyme/rosemary elements, well-integrated silky tannins and lingering freshness. From burgers to duck, to strip steak and lamb…this wine KILLS!
Escaping Saint-Peray which does not produce red wines, Cornas is the southernmost red wine producing appellation of the Northern Rhône…and it’s MY personal favorite! The steep, East and Southeast-facing slopes form a natural amphitheater, protecting the vines from cold winds. Syrah is the appellation’s only authorized grape variety, expressing its full strength and power in this terroir. That being said, modern vinification techniques and ingenuity have been breaking the age-old adage that Cornas is rugged and rustic in all of its offerings for decades. This collaborative effort from Anne-Sophie Pic (a very fancy French Chef) and Rhône wizard Michel Chapoutier (yes the M. Chapoutier with braille on the labels) is quite frankly delicious. Noting vintage prowess AND bottle age, this guy is ready to rock. Biodynamically farmed, harvested by hand, fermented in concrete and aged in USED French oak barrels (the more they are used the less ‘oaky’ impact they have on the body of wine inside) for 14 months, the wine is well-structured but not overpowering with wild black fruits plus hints of cedar, smoke, cured meats and graphite. Duck confit with lavender and blackberry jus, anybody?
Pedigree, anyone? Considering that Monsieur Pacalet’s uncle was none other than natural wine pioneer and ‘gang-of-four’ icon, Marcel Lapierre, his nephew does NOT mess around. Philippe crafts wines mostly in Burgundy, but also in Beaujolais (which is indeed in Burgundy) and you guessed it, the Northern Rhône. Grapes are sourced from an acre of 25 year-old bush vines of Petite Serine (a superstar clone of Syrah) in the granite hills of the Massif Central, from two “climats”: Mazard and Saint-Pierre. The granite soil is eroded on the surface in the form of sand and the grapes receive south-southeast exposure on the higher part of the slope. What sets this wine and those of other Cornas superstars August Clape, Franck Balthazar and Alain Voge in varying degrees is the use of whole clusters. Whole cluster fermentation is pretty neat and I’m a huge fan. It simultaneously boosts primary fruit aromas and provides a certain woody spice from the inclusion of stems. So much texture and silkiness (sounds impossible, I know), this wine is really completely delicious and a hair more Burgundian (lighter and fresher) than the Cornas above. Solid and mineral-driven, presenting a characteristic violet bouquet, it is slightly spicy with both fruity and floral notes that are underpinned by hints of licorice and velvety tannins. I love this wine!!!!!
So, take a trip through the Northern Rhône in your glass and save on airfare. We also have a really cool domestic number similarly produced with largely whole-clusters we would be happy to introduce you to. Don’t sleep on Syrah from its birthplace (and beyond). We love it and so will you!
Santé,
Todd, aka TL