DOMAINE DU COLOMBIER | Crozes-Hermitage | Primavera | 2021
syrah

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Today we are are going to review a very intriguing wine, as it is a single varietal syrah wine from the famous Crozes-Hermitage sub-region of Northern Rhône in France – Crozes-Hermitage Primavera 2021 by Domaine du Colombier. In a world where bolder is better, syrah is the perfect choice, as it is darker and spicier than cabernet sauvignon and contains a high amounts of health-invigorating antioxidants. Syrah, also known as Shiraz, can be vinified in two major styles: old-world style and new-world style. The old-world syrah wines tend to have more acidity and displays earthy-herbaceous aromas on the nose, while the new-world shiraz wines are usually dusty and fruit-forward, with lots of spice and nuanced hints of smoke. Domaine du Colombier’s vineyards are farmed organically (without the certification) and located in the municipalities of Tain l’Hermitage and Mercurol. This particular wine is made of old-vine (more than 50 years old) syrah grapes from the vineyards in Mercurol, planted in 1929 on alluvial, fluvial-glacial soils and is signed by the winemaker Florent Viale. In order to preserve the varietal characteristics of the syrah grapes, this wine has been aged for 8 months in concrete vessels, without the use of oak barrels. On the other hand, in order to add extra complexity to the final wine, 45% percent of the stems were kept during the vinification process. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: hazy purple color
clarity: pale purple shades

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced & perfumed
fruit profile: blue fruits | black fruits
__blue fruits: blueberry | blue plum | blackthorn | honeyberry
__black fruits: blackcurrant | aronia berry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: earth | savory | other
__earth: clay | loam | marl | sand
__savory: new leather | veal | iron | wool | lanolin | hints of barnyard & horse saddle
__other: violets | bubblegum | marshmallow | eucalyptus | hints of semi-carbonic maceration
primary layer: fruity-savory

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: low
__grip: soft
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: supple | medium-

//Taste
fruit profile: blue fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: savory & floral
finish: medium
aftertaste: crisp & fresh

//Scoring
DOMAINE DU COLOMBIER | Crozes-Hermitage | Primavera | 2021
variety: syrah
country: France
region: Rhône | Crozes-Hermitage
rating: 92.9

//Conclusion
maturity: youthful | drink now or within the next 2 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of France and, with a total of 92.9 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very enjoyable syrah wine: crisp, supple and lean, with a perfumed nose and a voluptuous yet slightly opulent palate. The wine is still in its development phase but very close to its prime form, therefore we would recommend to either drink it today or within the next 2 years, but make sure you don’t overdo it, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine displays a mixture of ripe blue and black fruit notes mixed with some nuanced savory hints in the foreground, supported by a subtle earthy background and a mesmerizing, floral-sweet layer in between the two. On the palate the wine delivers bright acidity, soft tannins and just a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a very appealing, crisp and refreshing aftertaste. All in all this is a round, silky and vibrant syrah wine, that in its current state lacks a bit of structure and complexity on the palate. This wine is a real crowd-pleaser that will pair lovely with delicate meats, rich in natural umami flavour, like for example peppercorn filet mignon steak or veal steak with sour cherry sauce. Enjoy!

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