Dom Fond Crozes 2022 "Shyrus" CdR Villages (Syrah)

The Wine

"Deep purple hued with a classic Syrah nose of ripe black fruits, game, violets, and peppery notes, the 2022 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Vaison-La-Romaine Shyrus hits the palate with medium to full body, ripe yet building tannins, a good sense of freshness, and outstanding length. It's could use a few years of bottle age, but it should be outstanding." - Jeb Dunnuck 10/23

The Winery

A 'North Face' is popular among skiers of North American slopes because they're shielded from the sun so the snow remains more pristine. But grape growers boast about southern exposures because, historically, the sun has been key to ripening wines.

But...

In regions impacted by climate change such as the Southern Rhone Valley, North-facing slopes are becoming a “thing”  as it's now a bit too warm for some of the South-facing sites!

Geek Out With Me

If you'd like to learn why this is true, bear with me just for another minute, I promise.

In the Rhône Valley, a "North Face" vineyard will see WIND. You know...the famous, straight-outta-Alpine "mistral" wind that cools the vines with cold mountain air at speeds up to 75 MPH, 100 days a year.

In addition, vines in this environment will see less solar intensity and fewer hours of sun per day so a vigneron can bring grapes to full physiological maturity ('phenolic ripeness') at the same time sugars reach the appropriate levels. It's the sugars that determine alcohol level and phenolic ripeness that establishes a wines complexity and distinctive typicity.

You won't just taste the difference these long hang times contribute, you can also smell it and feel it!

This is the part where I get introduce the humble, fourth-generation-winegrower, Guillaume Long - the mind behind this wine. His aim is to showcase how distinctive Syrah ('Shyrus') and Carignan Vieux ('Ceps de Raymond') can be when grown in his "North Face" vineyards. The third wine, 'Mozaik' is a blend of his Syrah and Carignan with some of his Grenache blended in as well.