The idea behind the IGP, or Indication Géographique Protégée, designation, is to create a bridge between the more-rigid prescriptions of AOC (Appellation d’Origine Côntrollée) and the anything-goes feel of the Vin de France, or “table wine,” moniker. As the middle tier of the French wine quality pyramid, IGP (a.k.a. vin de pays) wines represent fertile ground for value-hunting and they often—as in tHIs case—over-achieve to the point of ridiculousness.
THIs wine from Vignobles Verzier, a small, family-run property with holdings in most of the key Northern Rhône appellations, is undoubtedly one of the greatest values we’ve ever offered from this region. Sourced from high-altitude vineyards rooted in the granite that distinguishes the best sites of St-Joseph and Côte-Rôtie, and blessed with an extra gear from the exceptional 2015 vintage, this Syrah is a floral, focused, and simply delicious expression of place.
This 2015 is brimming with energy but also displays succulent ripeness and a textbook Northern Rhône Syrah character—while technically from outside Saint-Joseph, to me it mirrors the style the elegance found in Côte-Rôtie. In the glass it’s a dark ruby with purple highlights at the rim, with an expressive nose black and red raspberry, black and red currant, damp violets, dried herbs, meat jus, crushed rocks, and black pepper. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s a wine with bounce: it’s juicy and lip-smacking but also mineral at its core. It is bistro wine, elevated, and it is drinking beautifully now: Decant it about 30-45 minutes before serving in Bordeaux stems at 60-65 degrees, putting its sweet/savory flavors to work alongside the attached recipe for herb-roasted lamb chops. This wine has no business being this inexpensive, but we’re not complaining—we’re stocking up. Enjoy!