J. Boutin Les Hauts Granites Crozes Hermitage

Stéphane Vedeau, of Clos Bellane fame, is the owner and winemaker of J. Boutin. Named after his mother Jeannine Boutin, Stéphane works tiny parcels from some of the finest sites in the Northern Rhône. From the granite-laden Larnage section of Crozes-Hermitage to Le Méal in Hermitage and Côte Blonde in Côte-Rôtie, these are all old vine (50-60 years old on average) vineyards that that convey their noble terroir clearly and resonantly. The winemaking at J. Boutin follows the same philosophy of his other property; the grapes are hand-harvested, go through a gentle press with some whole cluster depending on the vintage, followed by an indigenous yeast fermentation. The cellar is gravity fed and the wines are aged in a mix of stainless steel and larger oak barrels. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Stéphane is a perfectionist at heart, and working these granite slopes is part of his lifelong dedication to making wines of purity and grace. Practicing Organic farming.

J. Boutin Les Hauts Granites Crozes Hermitage is deep, shimmering violet in color. Dark berries, potpourri, exotic spices and a suggestion of smoky minerals on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy, penetrating and appealingly sweet, offering densely packed, energetic blackberry, cherry compote and violet flavors that are supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Supple, even tannins add grip to the impressively persistent, mineral-driven finish, which strongly repeats the floral note.