Drink Northern Rhone Syrah before you die! Why?
This is the birthplace of Syrah with some of the oldest and most breath-taking vineyards in France ... plus, back in the day, Bordeaux's top chateau would add some dark, beefy Northern Rhone Syrah to improve their own wines!
If you’ve ever enjoyed a Barossa Shiraz, you’ve got the Northern Rhone to thank for it. This is the birthplace of Shiraz—only here it’s called Syrah.
Vineyards have been in the Northern Rhone since the Roman times. They are some of the oldest in France and possibly the country’s most awe inspiring with their steep, granitic slopes hugging the winding banks of the Rhone River (the breath-taking views are up there with the Douro and Mosel).
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| Hill of Hermitage vineyard & Chapel of Saint Christopher in the Northern Rhone | istock.com / phbcz |
Syrah production in the the Norhtern Rhone is split across 5 appellations: Côte Rôtie, St-Jospeh, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas. Hermitage and Côte Rôtie are by far the most prestigious. Although, for those in the know, exceptionally delicious wines are still to be had from St-Jospeh, Cornas, and Crozes-Hermitage.
Hermitage is single, steep, suntrap of a hill containing an unexpandable 136 ha of vines. Which is not very much for the world to share. The full-bodied meaty wines are deeply coloured and tannic flavoured with luscious blackfruits and pepper and have huge aging potential. Until the mid 19th century many top Bordeaux Chateaux were strengthened with some dark, powerful Hermitage wine; in fact, those that had been “hermitaged” fetched a higher price than those that hadn’t.
Côte Rôtie (meaning roasted slope) has traditional sat below Hermitage in the quality pecking order. However, the difference is really stylistic rather than innate quality. The wines of Côte Rôtie are all about power, finesse, and elegance. They often have a small percentage of viognier giving a heady, perfumed whiff to the rich, dark, earthy flavour of Syrah. A wine that you don’t just simply enjoy but which imprints itself on your brain. A sensual experience.