Wine of the month: Crozes-Hermitage
Yes, we're starting with my favorite region. Obviously!
Did I perhaps choose the 12 wines for our 2026 wine challenge so I could have an excuse to buy 12 of my favorites wines? Sure did, poppet.
If you’re new here, hello! Welcome to Cellar Notes and my 2026 Wine Challenge. The challenge is quite simple—12 wines, 12 months, 12 opportunities to expand your palate this year. All you have to do is buy the wine of the month and taste it. Producer and vintage/year do not matter, just grab what you can! Every month I’ll send you a little guide so you can learn about the wine and impress all of your friends with your knowledge.
We start the year with one of my all time favorites: Crozes-Hermitage.
Specifically the red wine. Because yes, there’s also a Crozes-Hermitage Blanc!
What region is this wine from?
One of the most common questions I get as a sommelier is what’s your favorite region? I get this from customers, from other sommeliers, you name it. And always, without hesitation, I say the Rhône.
Located in southeastern France, the Rhône Valley runs along the Rhône River, starting just south of Lyon and ending in Avignon. The region is split by two sections—the Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône. Yes, these two areas do have particularities of what kind of wine is made there.
This month we’ll be hanging out in the Northern Rhône. But do not fret! I love this region so much that we’ll be visiting the Southern Rhône in November and hang out in Gigondas.
Now a little refresher: Wines from the Old World of winemaking (France, Italy, and Spain) are typically labeled by their regions, while wines from the New World (practically everywhere else) are labeled by their grapes or blends.
This is not a hard and fast rule; there are a few exceptions, especially for winemakers who take it upon themselves to challenge the status quo. But a majority of the time, this is what you can expect.
Crozes-Hermitage is a dedicated area within the Northern Rhône. It is an appellation—a legally defined geographical area with set rules on what grapes to use, what methods of production should be followed, and more. This is why when you pick up your Crozes-Hermitage this month, I’m not too worried about who produced it. No matter what, that winemaker had to follow the same guidelines for the wine to go by that label.
This also means any time you see this wine, whether on a label or a wine list, you can always expect to get the same type of wine.
What grapes are in Crozes-Hermitage?
Crozes-Hermitage, as well as the rest of the red wines in the Northern Rhône, are made with Syrah.
Syrah is a rustic, earthy, spicy grape that makes for medium-bodied wines that give notes of blackberries and plums, crushed violets, and freshly cracked black pepper. It has the perfect balance of tannins and fruitiness, it’s not too acidic, and it makes for a well balanced wine that works both with food and pleasant to drink on its own.
The most elegant expressions of Syrah in this area are coming from the hills of Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, which concentrate the flavor in the grapes and make exceptional wine. But the hills are really steep and require a great amount of effort to harvest and produce, hence the price tag on these wines.
Thankfully, Crozes-Hermitage exists. These wines are coming from the vines surrounding the hills of Hermitage. They are on flatter slopes and there are more of them, so they are a touch easier to produce. This is why you see more of these types of wines on the market, and they tend to be more affordable. Yet the are still really lovely, in my opinion.
I slowly fell in love with Syrah when I was in wine school, but my love was solidified after our trip to the Rhône last spring. Actually seeing those hills, driving down the river, and tasting my way through those exquisite wines felt like something out of a dream. So any excuse I can have to get my hands on one of these bottles, I take it.
What to pair with Crozes-Hermitage
My mind typically goes two directions with this wine.
First, I think these wines are best with lamb. Lamb feels a touch more delicate as a protein compared to a steak or beef dish, but hearty enough to handle the robustness of this wine compared to, say, chicken or fish.
I tried pulling a few recipes from other Substack creators, and I think this Braised Lamb with Quince and Saffron from Kitchen Projects would be really lovely. I also love the idea of these Lamb Pitas with Dilly Minty Yogurt Sauce from What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, but to be quite honest with you, I’d just buy my pitas because I’ve been a lot more lazy in the kitchen lately.
My second direction, and may be a little bit of a hot take, is Cacio e Pepe.
Why? My mind is on that black pepper. The fresh cracked pepper will really make the spicy notes of this wine sing. I’m particularly drawn to this Roscioli Roman Cacio de Pepe from NYT Cooking. Actually using fresh black peppercorns may feel like a lot, but I think it would be worth the effort.
What wine did I snag? Plus, order your own!
I haven’t opened it yet (god, I can’t wait until I have a free night and I can actually enjoy it), but I grabbed a bottle of Vindiou Cafiot Crozes-Hermitage 2023.
Even though these wines are some of my favorites, my personal take on the challenge is to discover new producers. I had my eye on this bottle for a while over at my favorite local wine shop, and you know what? It may or may not have inspired my wine challenge simply so I could have an excuse to buy it. Sue me.
Again, feel free to grab whatever is at your local shop as well! If you can’t find anything, here are a few options you can order.
E. Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2021, $35.99 — E. Guigal is one of the most famous co-ops in the Rhône and their wines are some of the best. They also have a pretty wide distribution and can be easy to find, which is such a huge benefit. Buy here!
Matthieu Barret Crozes Hermitage Et La Banniere 2023, $33.99 — This is my favorite producer in the region! Matthieu’s take on these famous Rhône wines are unique and really interesting. I wish all of his wines were available stateside, but alas. Buy here!
Francois Villard Crozes-Hermitage Certitude 2022, $38.99 — Another wine I really like from this region, probably one of the most classic expressions. Buy here!
Share what you think!
What did you think of the wine of the month? Which wine did you grab? Did you pair it with something? And the better question…would you order or buy this wine again?
Share your thoughts, I would love to hear from you!
