The 2014 Michael Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonniers is a premium red wine made from 100% Syrah, sourced from old vines in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation of the Northern Rhône. It exhibits a deep garnet red color with a highly perfumed bouquet of ripe red and dark berries, blackcurrant, cassis, and raspberry, complemented by notes of liquorice, vanilla, incense, and crushed rock-like minerality. On the palate, it is juicy, focused, and subtly sweet, offering taut red and dark berry flavors that deepen with air, revealing spicier and earthier notes like leather, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, and charcoal. The wine has a warm, fleshy feel with concentrated fruit, ripe tannins, and a strong floral finish, often described as a “mini-Hermitage” due to its depth and complexity.
Food Pairings:
This structured and flavorful Syrah pairs well with robust, savory dishes, including:
- Grilled or roasted meats, such as beef, lamb, or game (venison, boar).
- Dishes with earthy or smoky flavors, like mushroom risotto or smoked pork.
- Hearty stews or braised dishes with rich sauces.
- Strong cheeses, such as aged Gouda, Roquefort, or Manchego.
- Foods with black pepper or herb-infused preparations to match the wine’s spicy and mineral notes.
Critics Reviews:
- Vinous / IWC: “Highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, licorice pastilles, vanilla and incense and shows a bright mineral overtone.” Rated 92.
- Chapoutier.com: “I always think of this cuvée as a mini-Hermitage sometimes not so mini and the 2014 Crozes Ermitage Les Varonniers has lots of crushed rock-like minerality and a black powder/ozone character, as well as plenty of cassis and blackcurrant fruit, beautiful concentration and ripe tannin.”
- CellarTracker: “Ripe plums and red cherries meet the nose at cork pull and once in glass more earthy notes join in including leather, tobacco, coffee, cocao, and charcoally …”
- Wine.com: “This has a warm, fleshy feel, with dark currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit steeped with notes of tar, bay and warm paving stone. A loamy edge …”
- Saratoga Wine: “Juicy, focused and subtly sweet, offering taut red and dark berry flavors that become deeper and spicier with air. The floral note comes back strongly on the …”
Drink Window:
The 2014 vintage is noted for its concentration and ripe tannins, suggesting good aging potential. While it is approachable now, it can likely be cellared for 10–20 years (until approximately 2024–2034) under proper storage conditions, allowing its complex flavors to further integrate and evolve.
