La Nouvelle Garde is an organization that brings together the next generation of Crozes-Hermitage, and they threw a party
In 2023 a new association emerged in the northern Rhône, called La Nouvelle Garde de Crozes-Hermitage. This is the biggest cru in the region, and it’s also quite a dynamic one. ‘The idea is we realized we are working here in Crozes-Hermitage, but we didn’t really know each other,’ says Sandra Combat, a young winegrower. The Combat winery was hosting a party where all the members got to try each others’ wines, and a few of us attending the Decouvertes event were invited to join. ‘We want to show people that Crozes-Hermitage is a dynamic region, with new wineries and young people coming back to the family domaines.’ They run a range of events in the region each year. ‘The idea is to be together,’ says Sandra.
This was a fun evening. The first part was more like a formal tasting, with each winegrower showing two wines, but then after a while it became more of a social event, and everyone mingled and drank each others’ wines. I think I got to meet most of them and taste, but I may have missed one or two.
With Kylian Michelas
Michelas Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Les Grapiats’ 2023 (magnum)
This is Roussanne, half fermented in 400 litre barrels and half in tank. Lovely ripeness and depth here with some mineral, spicy notes threading through the pear and peach fruit, and there’s even a touch of apricot. This has focus and tension. 94/100
Michelas Crozes-Hermitage ‘Bellegrapière 2023 (magnum)
Mostly stainless steel. Vibrant and pure with lovely drive and grippy tannins. Very expressive with vivid berry and cherry fruit, showing real precision. 93/100
With Julien Dreveton
Domaine des Louis Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘R&M’ 2023
12.5% alcohol. Half and half stainless steel and small oak barrels. 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne. Full yellow colour. Powerful and intense with yellow plum and citrus fruit, as well as notes of white pepper and minerals. Nice intensity with crystalline citrus fruit and a touch of toastiness. 94/100
Domaine des Louis Crozes-Hermitage ‘S’ 2023 (magnum)
90% stainless steel, 20% oak. Bright, full and bold with juicy berry fruit and some stern, savoury, mineral notes alongside some iron and blood. Taut and full. 93/100
With Louise Tardy
Domaine Les Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Les Pends’ 2021
Fermented and aged in barrels and demimuids. Taut, focused and complex with a pure, stony, mineral character, and detailed sweet pear and citrus fruit. Juicy. This really needs time, and it’s very fine. 94/100
Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage ‘Les Pends’ 2022
Taut, focused, bloody and vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit backed up by good acidity. Supple and expressive with nice tannic structure. 93/100
With Raphael Faugier
Domaine des Hauts Châssis Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Aurora’ 2022
White clay soils, raised in barrel. Stony and mineral with a hint of oak. Has a taut, focused character showing white peach and citrus, and nice stony detail. 93/100
Domaine des Hauts Châssis Crozes-Hermitage ‘Les Hauts Châssis’ 2020 (from magnum)
Concentrated, intense and vivid with focused cherry and berry fruits and intriguing wet stone detail. Dense and firm with lots of fruit and lots of structure. Very fine. 94/100
With Daphne Chave
Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage 2023 (from magnum)
Destemmed. Focused and grippy with lovely freshness and a peppery edge to the floral, bloody, expressive red fruits. This is just so fresh. 94/100
Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage ‘Le Rouvre’ 2023 (from magnum)
This is brilliant. Destemmed. 65 year old vines on pebbles. Complex smoky, spicy, peppery, bloody nose. Complex, full and bold in the mouth with nice tannins and some firm grip, as well as amazing focus and detail. 96/100
With Sandra Combat
Domaine des Combat Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2022
Marsanne from Les Pends (75%) and Roussane on loess from Larnage (25%). Two thirds in oak, one-third in stainless steel. Focused and fresh with some stony, mineral character and juicy fruit. Bright style. 93/100
Domaine des Combat Crozes-Hermitage 2022
This is from a terrace in Chassis, and it’s stainless steel matured. Bright and linear; ripe but balanced with fresh, focused cherry and berry fruit. Nice brightness here. 93/100
With Romain Delhome
Domaine Delhome Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Cuvée Loess’ 2023
This is Marsanne from loess soils in Gervans. 75% in demi-muids, 25% in stainless steel. Supple and bright with vivid citrus fruit as well as some pear and mandarin. So fresh and crystalline with brightness, focus and energy. Beautiful wine. 94/100
Domaine Delhome Crozes-Hermitage ‘Boréal’ 2023 (from magnum)
13% alcohol. This is from granitic soils in the north of the appellation. 18 months in barrel. Concentrated, taut and structured with grippy tannins. Juicy, vivid and bright with amazing energy. So primary with some bloody notes. 94/100
With David Combier
Domaine Combier Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Cap Nord’ 2022
50% Roussanne (in wine globe) and 50% Marsanne (in foudre). Textured, fresh and linear with a hint of aniseed. Stony and bright with lovely fruit and good energy. Really interesting with nice herby detail. 93/100
Domaine Combier Crozes-Hermitage 2021
Aged in barrels. Complex, bloody, meaty nose with focused red fruits. Stern, bloody and robust, with a linear personality. Very fine. 94/100
Domaine Combier Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives 2021
Two-thirds new oak here, but it integrates well. Fresh, bloody and meaty with good acidity and linear fruit. Taut and mineral with a savoury twist to the red fruits. So fine. 95/100
With Christophe Desmures
Domaine des Remezières Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Cuvée Christophe’ 2017
85% Marsanne, 15% Roussanne, fermented and aged in barrels. Dense, toasty and spicy with some nut and honey as well as broad pear fruit. Has some grip and shows nice texture and weight. This is developing nicely. 93/100
Domaine des Remezières Crozes-Hermitage ‘Cuvée Christophe’ 2017
Rich, spicy and broad with some oak in the mix. Nice density of black cherry fruit supported by spice, gravel and a bit of grip. 92/100
With Celine Roudier-Leger
Domaine Vendome Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Lehm’ 2023
Pure Marsanne grown on loess next to the Hermitage Hill. Fermented in 500 litre new French oak, but this is steamed, not toasted. Bold pear and peach fruit with lovely density, showing richness but also freshness. Has a fine spicy dimension with beautiful weight and balance. Amazing texture to this wine. 95/100
Domaine Vendome Crozes-Hermitage ‘Ergeron’ 2022
This is from loess soils in Larnage and granitic soils in Erôme, aged 6 months in concrete and 1 year in barrel. Fresh and vivid with nice brightness to the juicy red fruits. There’s also some red cherry and a bit of plum. Hints of olive and black cherry, too. Very fine and expressive. 94/100
With Jean-Philippe Banc
Domaine Banc Crozes-Hermitage Blanc ‘Petite Roussette’ 2023
100% Roussanne raised in stainless steel. Bold, fresh and mineral with lovely texture, and vivid citrus and pear fruit, showing some salinity. Very fine and expressive with appealing pear and peach fruit. 94/100
Domaine Banc Crozes-Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage ‘Bouton Rouge’ 2022
Loess soils, raised in concrete. Lovely focus to this dark, peppery with richness and also energy, showing sweet black cherry and plum fruit with a mineral, stony framing. Very fine and expressive. 94/100
With Melody Breyton
Domaine Breyton Crozes-Hermitage 2022
12.3% alcohol. Organic. Sweet, rounded and supple with rounded cherry fruit, as well as some strawberries. Nicely textured red fruits here. Fine-grained with nice purity. 93/100
Domaine Breyton Crozes-Hermitage ‘Charles’ 2022 (magnum)
12.3% alcohol. From 60 year old vines behind Hermitage, one-third whole bunch. Peppery and bright with some meaty, spicy depth. This still has lots of freshness, although there’s some depth to it. Stony, mineral and juicy with fine tannins and great concentration. 95/100
