2021 Laurent Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage 'Clos les Cornirets'

100% certified organic Syrah from a single, two acre monopole vineyard on the backside of the Hermitage hill in the original Crozes village of Crozes-Hermitage. It’s a steep, terraced parcel that sits over pure granite and was planted over 70 years ago. Destemmed, fermented with native yeasts in barrel and aged in 15% new oak, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 2021 was a difficult year in Crozes-Hermitage, and Laurent had to be extremely selective on the sorting table, making only a tiny amount of wine. The vintage ended up producing delicious, lighter bodied, lower alcohol, fresher wines than 2018 and 2019. This shows off blackberry, blueberry, candied violets, mocha, botanicals, allspice and smokey minerals in a medium bodied palate with grippy tannins. Laurent is the 6th generation to run this small family estate in the Northern Rhône village of Gervans.