Crozes-Hermitage is an appellation for wines from an area on the eastern bank of the Rhone river, to the north and south of Tain L'Hermitage town. It is much larger than the more prestigious Hermitage appellation which it surrounds, and is in fact the most prolific of all northern Rhone appellations, making large quantities of both red and white wines. In 2005 the official statistics from the French Government recorded 257 grape growers farming 1,443 hectares (3565 acres) of Crozes Hermitage vineyards.
Crozes-Hermitage wines are predominantly (around 90%) red, and are made almost exclusively from Syrah. The exception to this is an interesting and uncommon one; the only other grapes that may be added to a red Crozes-Hermitage blend are the white grapes Roussanne and Marsanne. These varieties are also the only two permitted in white Crozes-Hermitage wines. The co-fermentation of white grapes with red is designed to soften the otherwise robust wines and add complexity to their aroma - it is restricted by law to a maximum of 15% of the final blend.
The wines made here are generally less complex than those from Hermitage, being grown on richer soils which challenge the vines less, resulting in fruitier, simpler wines. The valley floor does not benefit from refreshing air currents or prolonged sunshine, leading to slightly stewed flavors in the wine, particularly in hot years. The prices which Crozes-Hermitage wines attract is somewhat limited by this simplicity, meaning that costly barrel maturation is rarely employed to add complexity and structure to the wines.
The terroirs of Crozes-Hermitage are many. There is an area north of the town of Tain L'Hermitage which benefits from a favorable mesoclimate and a warmth-retaining granite bedrock, and produces richer, more complex wines than those from the flatter lands to the south. These eastern areas of the appellation have a predominance of clay and limestone soils, while the southern areas closer to the river are set on alluvial soils. Neither of these areas benefit from the increased elevation or sunshine levels enjoyed by the south-facing hillsides further north. This less favorable environment produces wines which age for only five to ten years for the better red wines, and only a couple of years for the white wines. The positive side to this is that the wines are much less expensive, and those from areas like Gervans in the north (for reds) and Mercurol in the east (for whites) can provide excellent, affordable expressions of the local wine style.
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