Turning the soil by horse at Domaine de la Croix du Verre
Olivier Dumaine makes lovely, juicy red Crozes-Hermitage and wonderfully structured and complex white Crozes. His vines are positioned in and around the hilly village of Larnage (200 metres altitude). Syrah for the red Crozes is all from granitic hillside vines, and Marsanne for the whites is grown on unique white, chalky clay soil.
The wines reflect exactly where they’re from – they’re terroir wines and luckily, the terroir here provides for serious drinking pleasure! The whites are stunningly rich and complex but beautifully balanced with decent acidity that can often elude Marsanne.
Olivier also makes a fresh, fruity and lightly structured Syrah VDP Rhodaniens that’s grown just outside the Crozes Hermitage appellation boundary. It’s eminently drinkable and very well priced.
I’m really pleased to have Olivier’s Crozes-Hermitages on my list – they offer incredible value for money and compete very well with Crozes-Hermitages at twice the price.