Crozes-Hermitage 2021: report and top-scoring wines
Matt Walls provides his anaylsis of the wines of Crozes-Hermitage in 2021, where problematic climatic conditions produced mixed results.
When the northern Rhône faces a difficult vintage, it’s often Crozes-Hermitage that bears the brunt, which was the case in 2021.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for top-scoring Crozes-Hermitage 2021 wines
See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores
See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines
Its vineyards are largely flat, which makes water management problematic, leading to serious dilution. Following the heavy storms in mid-September, some producers feared that a sudden uptake of water would cause the grapes’ fine skins to split, leading to rampaging rot.
There was a rush to pick, ripe or not. Some wines are refreshing, and green, herbal characters are a common refrain.
See also – individual appellation analysis on:
Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu | St-Joseph | Cornas and St-Péray | Hermitage
Whites tend to be better, but they aren’t as consistent as elsewhere. There are some stimulating wines, but many lack concentration and acidity. Smart use of oak helped to build weight and interest, but even the best white Crozes this year should be drunk within the next couple of years.
Rhône 2021 score tables:
All top Rhône 2021 score table
Top-scoring southern Rhône 2021 score table
Top-scoring northern Rhône 2021 score table
Crozes-Hermitage 2021 key producers:
Domaine Aléofane
Domaine des Combat
Domaine Gaylord Machon
Domaine Laurent Habrard
Domaine Marc Sorrel
Crozes-Hermitage 2021 top value wines:
Domaine Aléofane, Blanc
Domaine des Combat, Cuvée Domaine Blanc,
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La Fille Dont J’ai Rêvé Blanc
Domaine Marc Sorrel, Blanc
David Reynaud, Beaumont Rouge
Back to the Rhône 2021 homepage
Matt Walls’ top-scoring Crozes-Hermitage 2021 wines:
The wines below all scored 89 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.
Related content:
Rhône 2021 en primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Southern Rhône 2021: full report and top-scoring wines
Crozes-Hermitage 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Domaine Aléofane, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Well balanced and fresh, with pear-like acidity, it's mild but feels naturally balanced. Soft, succulent pear fruit comes through, it has more concentration than most this year. Aged in concrete egg and demi-muid.
2021
Domaine AléofaneCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Marc Sorrel, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Full-bodied and rich on the palate, with really bright acidity. More concentration and power than most white Crozes this year with a mineral, cleansing finish. Well balanced and successful. Grown on white Kaolin soils. No chaptalisation.
2021
Domaine Marc SorrelCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine des Combat, Cuvée Domaine, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Very smooth, silky and fulsome on the palate, with gentle sappy acidity and some richness of flavour. Longer than most 2021 white Crozes, this is a good option.
2021
Domaine des CombatCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Gaylord Machon, La fille dont j'ai rêvé, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Lovely nose, showing great freshness, and it’s more concentrated than most 2021 white Crozes. Has good depth of apricot flavour, a sense of roundness on the palate and a little aniseed touch on the finish.
2021
Domaine Gaylord MachonCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Laurent Habrard, Grand Classique, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Gently honeyed pear and white melon. Soft on the palate, not overly full-bodied, but well balanced. No obvious oak, this is very much about the pure fruit. The acidity is low, but the wine feels authentic.
2021
Domaine Laurent HabrardCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Melody, L'Exception, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Some bright mango fruit on the nose, and mango-like acidity. Has strength of flavour in what can be a weak vintage. Hand harvested, half is aged in old barrels.
2021
Domaine MelodyCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Marc Sorrel, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
A fruity expression that’s easy going and not terribly structured. Grapes were destemmed this year, when it's usually whole bunch. Just-ripe forest berry characters. An easy-drinking style, with slight tannins and good acidity. Nonetheless, it has some complexity, but I would drink fairly young.
2021
Domaine Marc SorrelCrozes-Hermitage
David Reynaud, Beaumont, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Mint and menthol on the nose makes this seem fresh. Really generous on the palate for the vintage, backed up by some strong, piquant acidity. Violet notes add to the interest and complexity. Some herbal notes on the finish. Certainly of its vintage, but more complex and satisfying than most 2021s.
2021
David ReynaudCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine des Combat, Cuvée Domaine, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Forest berries on the nose, with silky, sappy berry fruit on the palate. Good acidity, with juniper and cola notes on the finish. A neat and compact Crozes that's well balanced and riper than most 2021s.
2021
Domaine des CombatCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine du Colombier, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Much more expressive than most 2021 Crozes, this has some black cherry and blackberry fruit on the nose. A touch of menthol on the palate, and the tannins are ripe. Lean, with high acidity and measured alcohol, this has much more length and interest than most Crozes this year.
2021
Domaine du ColombierCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Esprit, Le Zouave, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Remarkably dark in the glass for a 2021. It’s very oaky on the nose, currently dominated by vanilla, cinnamon and coconut oak. It has good intensity and concentration underneath the oak, and despite the robust oaking, this will be one of the better 2021 Crozes. 80-year-old vines, fermented in stainless steel, matured in barrels for 14 months.
2021
Domaine EspritCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Esprit, Perles Noires, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
This has more black fruit than most 2021 Crozes, there's some concentration here that others lack. There’s some weight and presence on the palate, the tannins are riper here than elsewhere, and the balance is better. Dark fruits, and some blackberry skin tannins – needs a year to settle, than should be good. 40-year-old vines, aged in barrel for 12 months.
2021
Domaine EspritCrozes-Hermitage
Domaine Les 4 Vents, Saint Jaimes, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône, France, 2021
Bay leaf, elderflower and blackcurrant leaf aromatics. Has some depth and generosity of fruit. With its good acidity and well-integrated oak, complexity and palate weight are allowed to show. There’s some length and persistence here. The tannins are just a touch green and fibrous, but lovers of a just-ripe style will find something to enjoy here. Undoubtedly one of the best Crozes-Hermitage in 2021, a tricky vintage.
2021
Domaine Les 4 VentsCrozes-Hermitage
