On Syrah

If you asked yourself which were the great red grapes of the world, and Syrah didn’t come to mind, please read on. If it did, read on anyway.


A deeply colored grape, rich in anthocyanins and a compound called rotundone that imbues fresher expressions with a powerful peppery note, Syrah is one of the world’s most noble grapes. Known for savory, almost meaty notes, high-toned hints of black pepper (from that same compound rotundone), black-fruited character, and at times even floral aromas, its myriad layers lend itself to producing wines of great intensity and expressiveness of place. In the best versions, wines made of Syrah can be hauntingly aromatic and seductive. Continue reading

Drink: Chêne Bleu Rosé

It was a gorgeous day in early summer when I visited the small wine producer Chêne Bleu, based on the edge of the southern Rhône and the Côteaux de Provence in the south of France. Getting to the winery at La Verrière, located atop a mountain amongst the trees of the Dentelles de Montmirail, is easier said than done: Our GPS couldn’t find the address, so we had to do it the old-fashioned way, winding along narrow roads above the town of Crestet, eyes open for small signs and roadside markers, praying we were going in the right direction as we passed by forests and hiking trails until we finally came upon the beautifully restored ninth-century estate, high above the Rhône river valley. Continue reading

The Powerful “Super-Rhônes” of Chêne Bleu

I had the good fortune of meeting and having lunch with Nicole Rolet of Chêne Bleu (“Blue Oak” in French) on her recent trip to New York. I didn’t know much about the wines before we met, but I was immediately taken away by her story. She and her husband had renovated La Verrière, a Medieval property in Provence, high in the mountains above the Gigondas region in the Southern Rhône.

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