2019 The Society’s Exhibition Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhône, France
£13.50, thewinesociety.com
Alexandre Caso started an agency in the Rhône supplying specialised labour for vineyard work, and his first employee was Guillaume, son of legendary Hermitage winemaker Marc Sorrel. After early successes, it was not long before they decided to branch out and so, in 2009, they rented some neglected vines in Saint-Joseph, followed by a hectare in Crozes-Hermitage in 2011 and a further parcel of Saint-Joseph in Tournon in 2012.
In the same year Nicolas Jaboulet, from the sixth generation winegrowing family in Tain l’Hermitage, joined forces with this intrepid duo, and they later created Maison & Domaines Les Alexandrins. You will find their wines in the best restaurants and wine merchants in the country. The sage palates at the Wine Society know a good thing when they see one. They commissioned this incredible Exhibition Crozes-Hermitage, which combines the remarkable tricks of tasting utterly sensational while sporting a thoroughly competitive price tag.
I cannot think of a red wine with as much heart and soul as this one. It is a sensationally accurate Crozes from a perfume and flavour point of view, as well as being laser-sighted with all autumn/winter recipes. I was going to save this stunning creation for my MoneyWeek Christmas special, but I would be devastated if it sold out in the next two months. You are the first to hear about it here.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (matthewjukes.com)