Cave de Tain - Crozes Hermitage Les Hauts du Fief 2019

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The winery now has a vat room of sufficient size to vinify the grapes it brings in and produce its large number of cuvées. It is on a par with the best producers in the region. In Hermitage, the pride of our members who can count on the plot of land bequeathed to them by founder Gambert de Loche, the Epsilon cuvée impresses. A confidential production (1,500 bottles produced), it's a great wine that every discerning wine-lover should have in his cellar.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche, the high-quality Cave Coopérative de Tain-l'Hermitage has 310 members and, with over 1,000 ha of vines, produces around 50% of the appellations in the northern Rhône Valley. It also owns 26 ha of its own vineyards, including 21 ha of Hermitage. A sure bet in the region, in 2014 it acquired brand-new production facilities enabling it to multiply parcel selections.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Aromas of black olive and black loam appear on the nose of the 2019 Crozes Hermitage les Hauts du Fief. It amply illustrates the positive aspects of the vintage, slightly sacrificing aromatic fireworks in favor of power, concentration and richness. The palate is full-bodied and ample, with a long, velvety finish.

About the domain :

The largest cooperative winery in the Northern Rhône, Cave de Tain is a must for tourists visiting the region, if only for the reason that it has a large parking lot at the foot of the Hermitage hill, offering panoramic views all the way down the slope. The wines cover almost all the region's appellations, with the exception of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, in a range of quality levels and styles. Collectively, the members farm just under 30 hectares of Hermitage, making them the second largest landowner in this appellation. The entry-level wines are often pleasant and well-made, offering good value for money, while some of the high-end cuvées are ripe and oaky, perhaps offering too much of both for some consumers.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

James Suckling

About the wine:

Dark berries, roasted meat, charred bark and roasted black pepper. Medium-bodied, with rather firm tannins. Juicy in the middle with a textured finish. Syrah. Enjoy now.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Lots of black fruit, ground pepper, damp earth and truffle notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Les Hauts Du Fief, a medium-bodied, elegant and concentrated Crozes-Hermitage with good depth of fruit and good length. Made entirely from Syrah from a selection of old vines that have all been destemmed, it should drink well for at least 7-8 years.