Region: France - Cotes-Du-Rhone - Crozes-Hermitages
Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 12.5%
Notes on the Wine
With a lively and deep ruby color, Papillon offers flavors of black fruits, cherries, and sweet spices. Notes of white pepper and licorice. Full, ripe, and lively with young tannins and a velvety feel. Pairs perfectly with red meats.
Notes on the Producer
With a family history of winegrowing spanning four generations, Gilles Robin started in the wine business the way many in the Rhône do: His family sold grapes to the local cooperative. Nestled against the hillsides of Hermitage and St. Joseph in the appellation of Crozes–Hermitage, the estate was first planted in the late 1940s by Gilles’ grandparents, and it is this fruit that makes up his Cuvée Alberic Bouvet, named for his grandfather. This cuvée is aged in oak barrels, of which 20% are new. The Cuvée Papillon is the product of vines Gilles planted in 1996; it is aged entirely in tank to preserve its fresh and delicate fruit.The estate now totals 37 acres, including two and a half planted with white varietals and a small parcel of Syrah in St. Joseph. His vines are planted in the stony and sandy La Terrace de Chassis district. An understated, meticulous winemaker, Gilles farms his plots organically, believing this is the best way to honestly give voice to the terroir.
Gilles Robin has truly elevated his family estate, producing wines that are powerful, elegant and precise — excellent representations of Crozes–Hermitage.
