14% abv, Larnage, Drome, imported by Chloe Wines, Seattle, WA. 

I admire the sheer uniqueness of the white wines of the Northern Rhône. Whereas Viognier may be the shining star of this region, the wines from Roussanne and Marsanne are wines for meditation, often producing otherworldly scents and flavors exotic to what we conventionally expect from white wines. Dumaine’s Crozes-Hermitage is a fine example of 100% Marsanne from vine in excess of 50 years on average grown on white clay soils over granite bedrock. The winemaking is to my liking: the grapes are destemmed, fermented by native yeast and the wine is allowed to rest and mature in neutral French oak for 6 months prior to assemblage and bottling.

Imported Chloe Wines has produced a nice tight bio on the domaines, so I will defer to them: “The Dumaine family has resided in the village of Larnage since 1650. Today, Olivier and Maryline Dumaine work their parcels in the villages of Larnages and Saint-Jean-du-Muzols.  Their Crozes-Hermitage and Saint Joseph are planted with ancient vines grown on granite hills, producing naturally low yields of concentrated, yet balanced wines.”

Tasting note: The La Croix de Verre is pale gold in color with a clean nose of medium+ intensity with aromas of chamomile, hawthorn, orange blossom, beeswax, and white peach. On the palate this wine is dry with medium acidity, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol, medium+ flavor intensity and a long finish with flavors of green tea, honeydew, white peach, wildflower honey, nettle, mandarin orange, almond paste and a touch of anise. This has a very fine concentration and complexity and quite the intensity of aroma and flavor. Drink now or through 2027, this wine is very good: 9.2/10.