Top 10 Crozes Hermitage Producers According to Me

Aeons past, a long, long time ago (around 10-15 years) St. Joseph was an unheard of region and values abounded.  In the know wine geeks stocked up on Gonon.  Even more in the know wine geeks stocked up on old Trollat or drank from their cellars which had some Faurie, Perret and Gripa in them. The world has changed.  The wine public, which formerly thought that St. Joseph was a backwater region known for rustic wines, is now collecting them with abandon and driving up prices.  This is also driving producers to make better and better wines.

Granted, there are still some producers early on the quality recognition curve (with affordable prices) but the writing is on the wall and wine geekdom needs to find a new AOC to satisfy their Rhone Syrah craving.

Fortunately, there is another much maligned, huge region that has mostly mediocre wines that also has a decent number of high quality producers.  And that region is Crozes-Hermitage.

Below, please find my list of top 10 Crozes-Hermitage producers.  All are still affordable. Please don’t buy them - that would drive up the prices and then I’d have to find another affordable region in the Rhone for a top 10 list.

1. Laurent Habrard - Biodynamic and organic Crozes with miraculous depth of fruit and super sleek textures. Precise and very clean wines that are some of the top wines of the appellation. They are insanely drinkable. Excels in red and white.
2. Emmanuel Darnaud - Emmanuel Darnaud has stormed into the scene and is one of the top producers of Crozes-Hermitage today. Incredible fruit precision and loads of spice, herbs and meat. These can be rich as well but have stunning freshness. He makes 3 cuvees with the Trois Chenes, being my favorite for drinking now. Emmanuel also makes a very rare cuvee called “Au Fil du Temps” that might be the best wine in the appellation.
3. Domaine Des Chasselvin - I adore Domaine Des Chasselvin. The wines are not the biggest or most complex wines in Crozes-Hermitage but that is ok. They are rich, ripe, easy-going and fruit forward, but can age 4-8 years and show some very nice aged Syrah character. Look for the "Les Lievres" in special vintages.
4. Remy Nodin - Remy Nodin is a man of many talents and appellations and he makes two Crozes but the Le Mazel is the one I focus on as it is a wonderful Crozes. Peppery, really meaty, one of the meatier ones I know with vivid blackberry fruit and so much olive on
5. Domaine Les Alexandrins - This estate, going through some changes now as Nicolas Perrin has bought a controlling interest in the estate, makes one St. Joseph called "La Aren de Couer" and it is a stunner. Emphasizing freshness and purity it has wonderful dark fruit and loads of garrigue and slices. Really wonderful fruit, acids and depth. And an amazing deal. At around $25 a bottle.
6. Alain Graillot - Alain Graillot is the industry standard like Ridge is in California or Dunn. He put Crozes on the map. And he has been making excellent, ageworthy Crozes, for what seems like forever. Classic, meaty, olivey and very pure, these have serious structure and are some of the most ageworthy wines in the appellation.
7. Domaine Saint Clair (Denis Basset) - Another estate I love for its purity and freshness. The wines also have a wonderful mineral character and very juicy fruit. Really refined and elegant. Love this estate. They make 3 terrific Crozes Reds with my favorite being the Les Abimes de l'Enfer. Grab these if you can find them.
8. Domaine Combier - A terrific estate with my favorite wine being the wonderful Clos des Grives. This is as juicy and giving and fresh as one can want but also has the requisite complexity one wants from Crozes. Always a fair value as well.
9. Robert & Stephane Rousset - This is a terrific estate making natural/organic/biodynamic Crozes Hermitage. They have some of the best terroir in all of Crozes plus they have terrific structure and can age for 8-12 years. Brilliant values as well as is most Crozes.
10. Jean-Claude Marsanne - Meaty, gamey, bloody, ripe and juicy with amazing freshness and terrific texture. So animal and so rustic but has so much depth and fruit. In the style of his brilliant St. Joseph.