My first post on Wine Spectator, still learning much. I did do a search but didn't find enough info or did not look in the right place.

Curious if there is a good Northern Rhone Value to experience old world Syrah? Have not tasted any so far. By value I mean something under $30 dollars. I imagine St. Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage, but looking for producers you think are great values.

Thanks!

Curt

Welcome Kurt.

A Crozes-Hermitage from a producer named Hauts Chassis. They have three different bottlings. One at $15, $20 and $30.

Georges Vernay had a great Saint Joseph that was about $25. Have not seen that in a while though.

Allain graillot Crozes-Hermitage.

I also like Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage.

Look also to these producer:

Pierre Gaillard (Clos de Cuminaille is pretty good !)
Yves Cuilleron
Les Vins de Vienne
Christophe Pichon
Vincent Paris
Delas

quote:

Originally posted by Merengue:
Allain graillot Crozes-Hermitage.

+1,000

And my single favorite QPR wine, is a Vin de Table N Rhone by Auguste Clape named Le Vin des Amis. It's very low production, and it sells out quickly, but it can be had around $27 per bottle. I have a hard time finding a wine I like as much as this one, and there's nothing that touches it at the price point.

Another recent find that rocks pretty damn hard is the Cotes de Rhone-Brezeme by Eric Texier. A wine that I find really, really, hard to beat for the price (~$20). I don't understand clearly why it's called a "Cotes du Rhone Brezeme", because Brezeme is considered Northern Rhone. Maybe someone who knows what the heck they're talking about can chime in.

Pierre Gonon's Saint-Joseph is another great wine at a reasonable price point.

For the most part, there are solid values to be had in Gigondas, Saint-Joseph, and Crozes-Hermitage.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jorgerunfrombulls,

quote:

Originally posted by Merengue:
Allain graillot Crozes-Hermitage.

Does anyone have any experience with the Blanc (Marsanne or so I'm told)?

Only 4 people on here can recommend a Crozes or Saint Joseph.

+1 on Delas,

Mixed experience with Vincent Paris.

Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage “Les Meysonniers”.

Any Crozes or St Joseph or Cornas from Jaboulet or Chapoutier

What the three guys above of me said.

Good question! I love Syrah but most of what I drink is from California or Washington. And nearly all the rhones I drink are from the south, which are mostly Grenache based blends.

Can someone chime in on the drinking window for these "value" n.rhones? Average?

quote:

Originally posted by lizardking:
Good question! I love Syrah but most of what I drink is from California or Washington. And nearly all the rhones I drink are from the south, which are mostly Grenache based blends.

Can someone chime in on the drinking window for these "value" n.rhones? Average?

Funny, on the way to work today I was having a conversation with myself about drinking windows on newer wines. I've only had pretty recent vintages of the wines I suggested, and I find that they drink very nicely in their youth. Will they improve with age? Maybe. But why wait? They're fantastic now. I mean, I'll leave 2 or 3 tucked away, for science, but I drink them up guilt-free now.

Oh, and crozes-hermitage is known for being a "drink now" sorta wine.

I believe 8-10 years for a Crozes would be the max (Maybe stretching it?). A little less for a St. Joseph 6-8? I have no experience drinking Cornas.

Mind you, while at Chapoutier their 2009 Crozes and St. Joseph were drinking well (in 2011). So they can be open for business early on.

The Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone is 100% Syrah with no oak treatment. Really nice stuff at $13.

Chave St. Joseph Offerus I think is in that price range. Go for a 2009 or 2010.

This is all great stuff everyone, thank you for all the help!

To Jorgerunfrombulls: I just read that there is a section in the Northern Cotes Du Rhone where an all Syrah wine is made every year, but it is in the AOC of Cotes Du Rhone.

Thanks everyone!

Curt

quote:

Originally posted by NolanE:
The Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone is 100% Syrah with no oak treatment. Really nice stuff at $13.

Same producer also makes a Crozes-Hermitage.

Yann Chave is another good one that hasn't been mentioned yet. Le Rouvre, Crozes-Hermitage to be specific.

Domaine Courbis makes good Cornas, but the Champelrose is a little more than $30.

Welcome to the forums Curt.

Alain Graillot's Crozes is worth cellaring 3-4 years as the initial acidity will begin to soften a little...

So many good values listed above. Really beautiful wines.

I really love these at 5-8 years post vintage. If younger: I almost never love them right out of the bottle at release, and I routinely dump into a decanter in the morning, drink in the evening, which really knocks off the rough edges.

quote:

Originally posted by billhike:
Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage “Les Meysonniers”.

I haven't had this wine so i did not mention it, but i just bought a couple of 2010 bottles at CDG airport for EuR 17 each. Seemed like a no brainer to me.

Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage (the son). Very nice and a very fair value

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:
Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage (the son). Very nice and a very fair value

I've heard Yann's sister (Bernard's daughter ) is making wine now too. Has anyone tried that? Yann's Hermitage bottle is not cheap anymore - $75-$100, but is still a great value for Hermitage.

At the lighter end of Northern Rhone Syrah, Delas Crozes-Hermitage Les Launes, esp. the 2009 vintage, is a bargain.

Alain Graillot leads the field in this region, though.

quote:

Originally posted by Stefania Wine:

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:
Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage (the son). Very nice and a very fair value

I've heard Yann's sister (Bernard's daughter ) is making wine now too. Has anyone tried that? Yann's Hermitage bottle is not cheap anymore - $75-$100, but is still a great value for Hermitage.

i was not aware that the daughter was making wine as well. Yann's Crozes-Hermitage sells for just under $30 here, which is very fairly priced, IMO.