2011 Crozes-Hermitage, L'Essentiel Blanc Domaine Des Hauts Chassis
Critics reviews
Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com, 27 Sept 2013
About this WINE
Domaine Des Hauts Chassis
Crozes Hermitage is a diverse appellation; nowhere near as diverse as St Joseph across the River, but sufficiently heterogeneous to cover several different terroirs, which results, unsurprisingly, in differing styles of wines. Logically, the Domaines located the closest to the famous granitic slab that is the hill of Hermitage are likely to capture some of the style and majesty of this famous appellation. And Domaine des Hauts Chassis has done just that, its vines located in an eponymous lieu dit to the north of Roche De Glun, and facing the HQ of the once great House of Jaboulet.
Frank Faugier is a vigneron of the old school, only modestly successful at self-promotion. And it is for this reason, I surmise, that his wines have never before been imported to the UK, because in terms of style and quality they are absolutely fantastic, combining the edgy earthy grip with the generosity of ripe blackberry fruit, which should be the calling card of great Crozes.
Marsanne
Marsanne is the predominant white grape variety grown in the Northern Rhône where it is used to produce white St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Hermitage. It is a tricky grape to cultivate, being susceptible to diseases and being particularly sensitive to extreme climatic changes - if growing conditions are too cool, then it fails to ripen fully and produces thin, insipid wines, while, if too hot, the resultant wines are blowsy, overblown and out of balance.
In the Northern Rhône it tends to be blended with around 15% Rousanne and produces richly aromatic, nutty wines which age marvellously - the best examples are from Hermitage and particularly from Chapoutier. Increasingly it is being grown in the Southern Rhône and Languedoc Roussillon where it is bottled as a single varietal or blended with Roussanne, Viognier, and sometimes Chardonnay. It is also grown very successfully in Victoria in Australia where some of the world`s oldest Marsanne vines are to be found.
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Description
This is a bit of an oddity but it would go so well with Christmas dinner. It’s a Rhône white with a lovelyfloral nose that leads to flavours of white peach, pear and herbs.
Jamie Goode - 14 wines to make you Christmas day better - Sunday Express - 01-Dec-2013
White Hermitage is the stuff of legend, so why not white Crozes Hermitage? It seems fairly logical, and the vignerons are now more ambitious and confident in this respect. Frank Faugier makes a great range of reds as we all know….but what about the white?
Well, tasting this was something of a revelation! Made from 55% Marsanne and 45% Roussanne, this wine is matured in cement vats for eight months and then bottled without fining or filtration. White flowers and citric fruit inform the nose and the palate is finely textured with hints of almond oil, peach stone and pear evidenced. The finish is both rich and refreshing, all in all a very good effort.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
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