Chevalier Marlène & Nicolas Crozes-Hermitage 2014 Crozes-Hermitage wraps around the base of the great hill of Hermitage, capturing a snippet of its famed neighbor, more approachable earlier in age. Hermitage named in the 13th century, when an injured knight returned from the Crusades and the Queen gave him permission to build a small home, or “hermitage,” for his recovery at the top of this hill. Today, the most revered and costly wines of the Northern Rhône hail from this hallowed ground. This small production 2014 Crozes-Hermitage is crafted by an under-the-radar producer destined to become a household name. While examples from Hermitage can easily soar past $100 a bottle, Nicolas…
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Les Closiers Caves des Papes 1998 Chateauneuf de-Pape Chateauneuf-du-Pape is an historic town in France’s southern Rhone Valley, famous for its full-bodied, spicy red wines (although it does also produce a small quantity of weighty, flavorful white). The name Chateauneuf-du-Pape means ‘new castle of the Pope’ and refers to the fact that nearby Avignon was chosen as the new home for the Pope’s court in the early 14th century. The pope in question (Clement V) also gave his name to the ancient and equally prestigious Chateau Pape Clement in Bordeaux’s Graves district. Ogier et Fils was founded by Christophe Ogier as a negociant firm in 1859. In 1948 Ogier became…