Northern Rhone:
Allemand, Chave, Gilles, Jaboulet, Levet & More

I find the wines of the northern Rhone to be immensely pleasurable. On a beautiful summer afternoon, that seems to be the direction my mind is headed. 

I pulled together a list of some of the true legends of the region with a smattering of the smaller, traditionally minded producers that make the northern Rhone such a compelling place to explore.  There's plenty of Jamet, Allemand and Gonon to dig into, as well as big bottles of Chave that always repay cellaring.  The final vintage from one of the old masters of Cornas, Marcel Juge, is a beautiful finale. 

The 1988 Hermitage La Chapelle from Jaboulet celebrates the tail end of the glory years of a great estate and the young wines from Rostaing feel like they are ushering in a new period of greatness at a once historic estate.  As an appellation we love, it's often hard to find great wines from Cote Rotie, but in addition to Rostaing, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the delightfully pure trio of Levet, Benetiere and Champet.  It's so nice that wines of such honesty and intensity are being produced in some of the world's great terroirs.

To mix in with a Syrah laden list, there are a few of the greatest whites the Rhone has to offer.  While not everyone's cup of tea, I have become quite passionate about them and they offer some of the most complex, versatile and indeed pleasurable experiences.  If you haven't tasted Gonon's Les Oliviers Blanc, it's well worth it.

I'll leave you to the list and the height of summer.  As always, these wines are limited.  Please give us your ideal order, and we will try our best.

To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits