Northern Rhône Syrah
If you’re in New England right now you're probably huddled underneath blankets, decked out in flannel, and debating whether or not it’s worth leaving your cocoon. Well, if it’s any consolation, Syrah grapes in the Northern Rhône are going through the exact same thing right now (minus the flannel). Winter in this region is no laughing matter; the notorious and mighty wind, Le Mistral, blows through the hills at a rapid speed dominating the shivering vines. The cold winters, intensely hot summers, and steep slopes are just some of the reasons that the Northern Rhône has such an esteemed reputation.
The Côtes du Rhône is a stunning wine region in the south of France that is split into two distinct parts: the Northern Rhone and the Southern Rhône. These parts have little in common, except for the mighty Rhône River which unites them. While the Southern Rhône has built its fame on spellbinding red blends like Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas, the Northern Rhône bows down to only one red grape: Syrah.
In the late 1990s DNA profiling confirmed that the internationally planted grape Syrah originated from the Rhône Valley. Syrah’s parent grapes are Mondeuse Blanc and Dureza, and the only overlapping place that these grapes grow is around the Rhône. Other countries were disappointed; there were several intriguing legends about the origin of Syrah and its name. (Fun fact: Today, Shiraz, another name for Syrah, is the fifth-most populated city of Iran.) In the 20th century, winemakers wised up to the potential of this grape and plantings increased exponentially around the world. You can find fantastic Shiraz in Australia, California, and Chile but we suggest starting your Syrah tasting experience at its homebase: the Northern Rhône.
Although Syrah has a reputation for being big and brash, this aromatic grape has quite mellow and low-to-medium tannins. It has complex notes of roses, pepper, and plums. The 80-mile-long area of the Northern Rhône produces particularly aromatic Syrah thanks to the granite soils that retain heat during the cold winter. The most prestigious vineyard sites sit on slopes so steep that farmers have to load fallen rocks and soil into buckets at the foot of the slopes and haul them back up the hills on foot!
Crozes-Hermitage, where Pierre Gaillard has some of his holdings, is the largest appellation in the Northern Rhône. Syrah from this area has a reputation for being particularly peppery. Moving south is the hilly appellation of Saint-Joseph is currently home to a handful of ambitious producers like La Ferme des Sept Lunes and Hervé Souhaut. Saint-Joseph can range in flavor, but we think of it as a spicier, deeper Syrah with notes of black olives. Further south still, is the tiny appellation of Cornas, which is typically known for being the boldest and most tannic of all the Northern Rhône, making Cornas from winemakers, like Aurélien Chatagnier and Matthieu Barret, quite age worthy (20+ years). The name Cornas comes from the ancient Celtic word for burnt that is a reference to the big, untamed aspects of the wine from this area. Like the areas of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, Cornas is also famed for its rolling hillsides. Martin Texier, Eric Texier’s son, has plantings southeast of Cornas near Valence, with Syrah vines right on the Rhône River. We carry Martin’s Brézème in 750ml and 1500ml if y’all need a large format magnum to pass around at your next firepit hang.
Cheers to Syrah and to all the beauty that the Northern Rhône brings to our glasses!