| Producer | Domaine des Entrefaux |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Subregion | Crozes Hermitage |
| Varietal | Syrah |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 02871 |
| Size | 750ml |
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This is 100% certified organic Syrah farmed from vines up to 50 years of age. At first you notice the strikingly garnet red color with black, tan, and purple tints. The nose opens with minerals and ripe, dark fruits, followed by floral and spicy notes: wet earth, violets, plums, and exotic spices. The palate is enveloping, round and has a soft texture with silky tannins.
Although the Tardy family has been growing grapes for generations, they only began to estate-bottle their Crozes-Hermitage in 1979. As the northern Rhone’s largest appellation, still rising to greatness after decades of over-cropping by the local négociants, real estate here means everything. Domaine Entrefaux is among the most reputable producers, located in the village of Chanos-Curson. Father and son Charles and Francois Tardy along with Francois wife Anne farm 21 hectares of Syrah on the pebbly limestone terrace of Les Chassis, known for producing the finest Crozes-Hermitage reds, and five hectares of Marsanne, grown in the prestigious vineyards around Mercurol. In 2000, they began implementing organic farming practices, and in 2012 they earned their official certification. Holistic vine treatments, including infusions, compost, and cover crops, are used to cultivate healthy microorganisms in the soil and to serve as natural fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
The Tardys harvest their entire crop by hand. The grapes are de-stemmed, fermented with their native yeasts in concrete vats and after fermentation, pressed gently. François separates the cuvees early, organizing them by vine age. He cools the must to 15 to 17°C to retain freshness and slowly brings the temperature up to 30°C by the end of the alcoholic fermentation, which can range between eight days to three weeks, depending on the age of the vines. The wines then age for one year, divided among cement and oak vats, barrels and specialized egg-shaped cement tanks. François bottles the wines unfined and sometimes unfiltered as well, depending on the vintage.
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