2022 Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Cosme
Rhône Valley, France
Granite & Smoke
Dark, savoury and beautifully tuned, the 2022 Crozes-Hermitage from Saint Cosme feels like Syrah with its collar slightly loosened, serious, but never stern. Black cherry, cassis and plum rise first, followed by cracked pepper, smoked bacon, incense and a cool, stony note that gives the wine immediate Northern Rhône character. The palate is polished and medium-bodied, with a lovely sense of flow, dark fruit wrapped around fine tannins, peppery lift and just enough leather and spice to keep things grounded. There is real depth here, but also freshness and shape, so the wine feels precise rather than heavy, finishing long, mineral and quietly smoky.
For when: the grill is hot, the table is full, and something smoky is on its way.
Pairs with: lamb chops, roast mushrooms, grilled sausages, or slow-cooked beef with herbs.
If this wine were a place: a granite hillside at dusk, with woodsmoke in the air and the last light catching the stone.
Saint Cosme’s Crozes-Hermitage is made from 100% Syrah, and the house points to granite slopes rather than flatlands as a key reason for the wine’s extra structure and complexity. That makes perfect sense in the glass, where the fruit feels dark and generous, but always framed by mineral tension and savoury lift.
Whats in the bottle
Syrah 100%
Notable Awards
93 points, James Suckling