2022 Crozes Hermitage Clos des Grives
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Tasting notes
The flagship 2022 Crozes-Hermitage Clos Des Grives sports a deep purple hue as well as rocking aromatics of smoky black and blue fruits intermixed with liquid violets, pepper, and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, it has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and integrated acidity. It shows the ripe, sunny style of the vintage yet brings solid depth and tannic structure and is going to evolve gracefully for 15+ years. This cuvée was aged 12 months in Burgundian barrels (a mix of new to 3 years old). Drink 2025-2040. Located near Pont-de-l'Isère in the southern part of Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine Combier farms 30 hectares of Syrah, all certified organic since 1970. The estate is led by Laurent Combier, who also serves as president of the Syndicat des Vignerons de l'AOC Crozes-Hermitage. All wines are made from 100% destemmed Syrah and are vinified in concrete before aging for 12 months in Burgundian barrels of varying age.? The lineup includes a classic Crozes-Hermitage from estate parcels around Pont-de-l'Isère; Cap Nord, sourced from granite soils in the northern sector of the appellation (Erôme and Gervans); and Clos des Grives, a single-parcel cuvée from old vines planted in deep clay-limestone soils in the Les Chassis sector, just behind the winery. New oak is used more prominently in Clos des Grives. The wines age beautifully, and the 2022s reviewed here certainly rank with the finest I've tasted from the estate. The Clos des Grives, in particular, ages beautifully.
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives originates from an eight-hectare plot in Pont d’Isère, characterized by clay and galets roulés. The vineyard was first established with half of its area planted in 1952, followed by an additional three hectares in 1958 and another hectare in 2014. The bouquet reveals a deep, complex character with aromas of dark cherries, flowers, dark wild berries and spices mingled with lovely, peppery notes. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and layered, it's perfectly balanced and harmonious with a fleshy core of fruit and velvety tannins, culminating in a mineral finish with chalky dry extracts. As ever, this wine's plenitude and completeness distinguishes it in the range.
Dark and brooding, the 2022 Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives is firmly marked by the oak at this early stage, opening with toasty wood smoke and cloves. Ripe black cherry and black plum add more layers. With ripe tannins providing solid structure, the 2022 is a rich red Crozes that’s showing lovely potential. Give it a few more years in bottle.
Tasted blind. Quite a lot of oak on the nose with kirsch and mulberry. A dense palate but the oak is really well balanced into the mid palate, which is vibrant and full of energy. Sweet fruit, oak spice, leather and tapenade on the bright blue-fruit finish. (AC)