(NYT) Dining: A Study in the Subtleties of Northern Rhône Te

[AKR]

Dining: A Study in the Subtleties of Northern Rhône Terroirs
2020-09-03 16:28:25.420 GMT

By Eric Asimov

(New York Times) -- This month we’re going to try something a little
different.

Ordinarily, I suggest three bottles of the same type of wine. Instead, I want
to compare three wines that are closely related but come from different
appellations within a larger region, the Northern Rhône Valley of France.

Each is made with the syrah grape. But what if anything distinguishes one from
the others? That’s what we are going to examine.

The French appellation system suggests that each place will have its own
distinctive characteristics. It’s one thing, say, to compare a
Chambolle-Musigny from Burgundy with a Chinon from the Loire Valley. One is
made from pinot noir, the other with cabernet franc. You would expect that
they would differ for that reason alone.

But if wines are made with the same grape, other factors come into play. In
the case of the Northern Rhône, the French authorities concluded long ago that
the wines made in St.-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas were all
sufficiently distinctive to warrant separate appellations.

What would be the basis for the differences? Soils, drainage, microclimates,
elevations, angles of inclination toward the sun, viticulture and, yes, the
human element, all play a role. Terroir, in short.

Of course, we would be naïve not to acknowledge other factors, like economics
and politics, that influence how appellations are shaped.

When the St.-Joseph appellation was founded in 1956, for example, it was
intended to convey the qualities of wine grown on steep granite hillsides
clustered near six villages. Eventually, though, because of economic and
political pressure, the appellation was extended to include flat, fertile,
easy-to-farm areas that yield inferior wines and muddy the meaning of place.

Still, St.-Josephs made by good producers, who respect the spirit of the
appellation, ought to give good ideas of the character of a place. Here are
the three Northern Rhônes I suggest:

J.L. Chave Sélection Crozes-Hermitage Silène 2018 (Erin Cannon Imports,
Manhasset, N.Y.) $30

J.L. Chave Sélection St.-Joseph Offerus 2017 (Erin Cannon Imports, Manhasset,
N.Y.) $31

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30 2018 (A Thomas Calder Selection/Polaner
Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.) $40

You will note that two of the wines come from the same producer, J.L. Chave
Sélection, the négociant arm of Jean-Louis Chave, one of the great producers
of the Northern Rhône. I think these are among the best and most accessible
examples of both St.-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. If Chave offered a Cornas, I
might have chosen that bottle, too. Vincent Paris is an excellent choice in
his own right.

If you can’t find these bottles, please consult Wine School columns on
St.-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage for other options.

We have not covered Cornas previously, so if you cannot find the Granit 30,
please consider bottles from Franck Balthazar, Alain Voge, Guillaume Gilles,
Mickaël Bourg, Domaine Lionnet and Jean-Baptiste Souillard. I’m not suggesting
legendary producers like Thierry Allemand and Auguste Clape, but if you have a
spare bottle, by all means go ahead and drink it.

I like pretty much anything with Northern Rhône reds, but you can’t go wrong
with a roast chicken, various beef dishes and savory stews.

A cautionary note: You may not find compelling differences among the wines.
This is simply the beginning of an exploration, not a scientific experiment
intended to reach definitive conclusions.

If you do find differences, they may tell us little about appellations. They
may be the usual variables that would be apparent in wines made from different
producers, or different vintages in the case of the St.-Joseph.

Differences in terroir become apparent over the course of many years of
consistent evaluation. This month’s wines are not the end, but the beginning.

[agdoc]

I'm a Northern Rhone neophyte; have mostly focused on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo and the occasional Chateauneuf. I recently bought some 2017 Chapoutier Crozes and Jaboulet Crozes Thalabert. Anyone have other recommendations for St Joseph or Crozes?

[AKR]

I'm a Northern Rhone neophyte; have mostly focused on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo and the occasional Chateauneuf. I recently bought some 2017 Chapoutier Crozes and Jaboulet Crozes Thalabert. Anyone have other recommendations for St Joseph or Crozes?

Which Chapoutier bottling did you buy? He has a 3 to 6 if I recall correctly. You might need to wait some time for those to strut their stuff.

In Crozes I think its worth figuring out if you like Guigal. I like it, but some don't. It's one of the few widely available ones. You can also see if you like Cave de Tain, another larger production, although not as available as it ought to be, example. CdT has a ton of bottlings, mostly unobtainium stateside though.

If you can get shipping from Chambers St. in NYC, they are well worth checking out for Rhones/NoRho. They have a lot of producers not available through other channels that are good.

Of the ones mentioned in the article, I've had 3-4 peak year examples of Offerus, and I think its trading on its name, not the actual juice. I passed on 2015 finally. Vincent Paris is ok, and I've got a few of his various bottlings, and they are ok. Maybe a touch glossier. Worth trying.

[agdoc]

Thanks for your insight. I bought the Chapoutier Les Varonniers. Have not tried any yet. Probably wait at least 5 years?

[Claudius2]

Guys
If I am not look for QPR I'll pick a Cote Rotie from a well renowned grower.
If I want better value, I tend to go fro St Joseph from good producers (Chapoutier, Delas, Vins de Vienne etc) as it is a syrah based wine.
I have found Crozes Hermitage to be generally okay but typically less interesting that St Joseph.

[jal]

I'm a Northern Rhone neophyte; have mostly focused on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo and the occasional Chateauneuf. I recently bought some 2017 Chapoutier Crozes and Jaboulet Crozes Thalabert. Anyone have other recommendations for St Joseph or Crozes?

In my opinion, Alain Graillot is the standard for Crozes Hermitage.
For St Joseph, Faury is tops, Gonon is better but has gotten very expensive. Chave's Offerus is not far behind these two and a bargain for the price

[AKR]

There are still some 2015 Northern Rhones left in various pockets of retail - less so online - and I think that vintage is really worth looking for and putting away a few.