Alain Jaume 'La Butte d'Or' Crozes-Hermitage

Crozes Hermitage is the baby brother to Hermitage, one of France's greatest wine regions. Bottles of Hermitage run into the hundreds of dollars very easily, but neighboring Crozes Hermitage produces exceptional value versions of those highly sought-after Syrah bottlings. This sustainably produced Crozes Hermitage Syrah comes from Alain Jaume, a prestigious negociant winemaker from Chateauneuf-du-Pape who is intimately connected with vineyards up and down the Rhone valley.

Named the "Year's Best Northern Rhone" by Wine & Spirits in 2019, the 2017 is showing beautifully now, with vibrant flavors of raspberry, blueberry, violet, and black olive coursing through peppery, integrated tannins into a long, structured finish.