Maison Tardieu Laurent- Crozes Hermitage - Vieille Vignes

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Misleading, this Cuvée tastes a little like a worthy Saint Joseph ! Distinguished, typically “North” - the violet. A lot of depth and density in the mouth.
The vintage

Strange and paradoxical… This vintage has reserved us quite a few surprises, and
still raises questions. Although described as « Great » by some Vignerons, its strong
heterogeneity, depending on the sectors, imposes us to be attentive, measured, though hopeful.
2018 : the vegetative cycle is early. Spring sees generous rains and heat strokes
alternate. According to “Elders”, from memory one has to get back to the 60’ to observe such pressure of diseases in the vineyard. And, unfortunately for some Domaines, the processing windows would, in the main, only open at the week-ends… The vintage therefore promises to be technically complicated, demanding meticulous, tedious, even relentless work, in the vineyards. Damage and losses vary… but yields on Grenache are historically low… Providentially, once again, we could count on Mother Nature’s final “nudge” ! Without hesitation we can assert that the quality of the remaining grapes, the quality of their juice, is mainly due to a brilliant month of September.
Indeed, the weather conditions during the harvest were almost perfect. Cool but sunny weather, with well-marked, valued, thermal amplitudes… The Vigneron was able to choose in all serenity the ideal moment to harvest, plot of land by plot of land, without having to operate any constrained arbitration…

Terroir

Larnage, Battis, Gervans, Coteaux de Mercurol, Habrard.

Type of soil

Decomposed granite.

Ageing

12 months in one year and new barrels. Allier et Tronçais. Then 6 months in foudre.

Winemaking

1/3 non destemmed.

Serving

16°C
Decant an hour before tasting.

Tasting

Misleading, this Cuvée tastes a little like a worthy Saint Joseph !
Distinguished, typically “North” - the violet. A lot of depth and density in the mouth.

Alcohol content

13,5%

Bottling

Without fining and filtration.

Cépages

Syrah : 100 %

Moving to the Northern Rhône releases from this terrific estate, the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Vieilles Vignes offers a terrific sense of purity and elegant as well as medium to full body, polished tannins, and classic gamy, pepper, dark-fruited aromas and flavors. It’s well worth seeking out.

Jeb Dunnuck , 90-92/100 , 2019-08-16

Dark blueish crimson. Sweet and ripe for a Crozes. Racy and sinewy with more of the holes filled in than many a Crozes. Rather polished-leathery, in a good way. Serious stuff.

Jancis Robinson , 16,5/20 , 2019-11-11

Lots here. This red is nicely packed, with plenty of black cherry, blackberry and black currant fruit steeped with anise and sweet tobacco, carried by bramble and sweet bay leaf accents through the finish. Shows late flashes of white pepper and iron.

Wine Spectator , 94/100 , 2021-06-30

Wine Enthusiast , 92/100 , 2021-01-11