WINE OF THE WEEK: M. Chapoutier Les Moniers Crozes-Hermitage 2022, Rhône, France

£15, Majestic

As a prelude to writing this review, I looked to see when I last had a Crozes-Hermitage as a Wine of the Week and was astonished to discover that I haven’t. Ever. Although there have been quite a few in my Festive Red Wine Guides over the years.

This week, then, the spotlight falls on Les Moniers Crozes-Hermitage, a Syrah from the northern Rhône’s hot, dry 2022 vintage and from the organic and biodynamic-focused winemaker and merchant Michel Chapoutier.

M. Chapoutier is one of the highest profile names in the Rhône – and has estates in other regions and countries – but Les Moniers is not a wine I knew before.

It’s a beauty: deep ruby, with floral, spicy, sweet earth and red berry aromas and a palate with the characteristic peppery, iron-oxide Crozes tang to complement the clarity of the cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry fruit and fine-boned structure.

You could enjoy it with a seared loin of venison, beef sirloin or lamb steak, but the tang means it also pairs with dishes such as seared salmon or tuna steak with puy lentil ragout, chick pea stew with spinach, roast red peppers, sun-dried tomato and black olives, pork loin flavoured with Chinese 5 spice, and even burrata sprinkled with toasted caraway and cumin seeds and very finely chopped, just-picked rosemary, and mild-cure smoked salmon sprinkled with very finely chopped, just-picked rosemary (the newest, softest, topmost sprigs only). 12.5%. Empty bottle weight: 430g

M. Chapoutier Les Moniers Crozes Hermitage 2022, Rhône, France

£15 in any 6-bottle mix, £21 singly, Majestic

#wine #France #Syrah #wineandfood #winepairing #red