2014 Saint Peray Fleur de Crussol
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Tasting notes
(aged in one-third new oak): Bright yellow. Mineral-accented aromas of dried pit fruits, candied ginger and jasmine meet a hint of vanilla in the background. Weighty but firm and structured, offering hefty pear skin, white peach and Meyer lemon flavors and a touch of anise. For a powerful wine, this one comes off quite lithe. Closes on a refreshingly bitter note and shows very impressive tenacity and lingering stoniness.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted out of barrel, the 2014 Saint Péray Fleur de Crussol is the top white of the estate and checks in as 100% Marsanne that’s brought up all in barrel, with plenty of lees contact. It offers lots of golden fruits, buttered lemon, dried herbs and a kiss of minerality to go with a medium-bodied, nicely balanced, textured style on the palate. I was able to taste this twice, in a larger appellation tasting and then during my visit at the domaine, and in both cases, the lees component really stood out. Nevertheless, I suspect it will come together nicely once in bottle and have 5-6 years of longevity.
Cask sample. Deep cooper colour. Not star bright. A very distinctive look. A divisive wine. Technicians might reject it while naturophiles would admire it. Honey and cooking apples on the nose. Tastes as though there was some skin contact and there is still a little residual sugar and there is masses of chew. Very exciting and distinctive wine. Seems to have been made from very ripe oaked Marsanne. One of those wines in which astringency does the job of acidity. (JR)
Gorgeous green apple and oak spice, sweetly fruited on the palate with loads of substance. Pithy peach fuzz on the finish. Bold, succulent, expressive, delicious. (RH)