The first sip of this Northern Rhône Red beauty revealed a wine teeming life and complex aromas that took me by surprise.
This micro-production 2014 Crozes-Hermitage, from the jewel box lieu-dit ‘Les Voleyses,’ is crafted by an under-the-radar producer destined to become a household name. While examples from Hermitage can easily soar past $100 a bottle, Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier’s single-vineyard Crozes-Hermitage delivers a layered and complex mirror-image of the great hill for less than $30 a bottle. The captivating perfume reveals pristine black and blueberry fruits, bright purple violets, exotic spices and wild herbs that expand on the palate to awaken layer after layer with each sip. This simply addicting red delivers an incredible value; it is ready to enjoy now or to age gracefully in your cellar.
Crozes-Hermitage wraps around the base of the great hill of Hermitage, like a snug apron; at its best, the appellation is capable of capturing a snapshot of its famed neighbor that is much more approachable earlier in age. Hermitage first earned its name in the 13th century, when an injured knight returned from the Crusades and the Queen gave him permission to build a small home, or “hermitage,” for his recovery at the top of this hill. He then lived there in seclusion as a hermit for many years. Today, the most revered and costly wines of the Northern Rhône hail from this hallowed ground. Just below this legendary site, Crozes-Hermitage offers greater acreage and significantly lower prices than its big brother. Although many of the reds from Crozes-Hermitage can be uninspired, when gifted producers are joined with superb niche parcels, the results are a remarkable price-to-quality. Such is the case with this largely unknown producer, who crafts single-vineyard expressions.
Brother and sister duo Nicolas and Marlène Chevalier reclaimed their family land in Crozes-Hermitage after Nicholas’ formal agricultural study in France and years of winemaking experience across Australia, California, and South Africa. Once a contributor to the Tain-Hermitage cooperative, Cave Chevalier now hand-nurtures every aspect of viticulture and winemaking. A devotee of the adage that great wine is made in the vineyards, Nicolas farms his tiny 1.5 hectares of vines with highly sustainable practices; each parcel’s treatment is tailor-made to its needs. This wine is derived from a single lieu-dit in Crozes-Hermitage, which lies on a bed of white gravel with ideal exposure and a northern locale for perfectly ripened grapes. Every vine is tended by hand and harvest is entirely manual. The wine is fermented in small lots and is aged in 600-liter demi-muid French oak; the final product transmits every ounce of life possible from this place in the world.
The 2014 Les Voleyses displays a dark, opaque purple core with magenta hues on the rim. The vibrant nose is full of life, character and an almost palpable energy that reveals an array of perfumed florals, blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry fruit laced with wild herbs, freshly picked violets, a kiss of black pepper and meat as well as understated crushed black stone. The palate is medium-plus in body and engulfs the mouth with beautiful roundness and texture that is bursting with lush black and blue fruit, fresh herbs de Provence. This simply addicting wine is one of the best reds for the price-point that I have tasted in recent memory. Once it opens up in the decanter, more complex layers emerge with every sip. Although this wine is stunning now, it has a long future ahead and will become a value-driven treasure in your cellar. For the best immediate results, decant a minimum of one hour prior and serve in large Bordeaux – or even Burgundy – stems at 60-65 degrees. As a side note, most Americans drink red wines too warm and white wines too cold. If your house is room temperature, around 72-75 degrees, in my opinion this wine will be too warm to perform at its best. If you don’t have a cool cellar, simply place the full wine decanter in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to bring the temperature down to cellar temperature (55-60F) and the wine will have a much different aromatic profile. Once taken from the refrigerator the wine will reach perfect temperature rather quickly once poured into a wine glass. I will add that temperature preference is completely personal. Once you get used to drinking wine slightly cooler, which is something that those who have wine cellars know well, the alcohol is less dominating on the nose and the intricate layers of aromas are more in balance. As a delicious accompaniment, try this recipe for
mustard glazed ham ribs.
