David Reynaud Domaine Les Bruyères (Bio-Dynamic): Crozes-Hermitage (Rhone Valley)

 Domaine les Bruyères is situated in Crozes-Hermitage at Beaumont-Monteux below the Hermitage hill in the Northern Rhone Valley. The domaine has been part of the Serret / Reynaud family for generations growing and supplying grapes to other producers in the region.  In the year 2000, David Reynaud began his quest to create a 100% bio-dynamic vineyard and to embark on making and marketing the wines from their superbly sited vineyards. This plan came into fruition when in 2003, the domaine became ECO Certified, and in these first few years his talent at winemaking also quickly became apparent and the wines assert brilliance in their complexity and elegance.

The domaine is made up of 14.5 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage, and an additional 5.5 hectares in local villages amongst the Rhone hills. The vines grown in the domaine are aged between 20 – 50 years, of which 87% is made up of Syrah. Reynaud also has small plantations of Marsanne, Roussanne, Merlot and Viognier. The soil of his Crozes-Hermitage vineyards is characterised by a clay and alluvial pudding stone top-soil with a chalky limestone sub-soil, with good natural ground drainage from the pudding stones. Reynaud, maintains low yields of 35 hl/ha across the Domaine and in a remarkably short time he has gained the attention of the wine press not only in France but around the world. One taste and you will understand why !!

2010 Crozes-Hermitage blanc ‘aux Betises’
Made from a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne this wine is vinifed in stainless steel and aged half in cement egg and half in barrique with a little lees stirring. Rich and textured remaining fresh and fine on the long finish. Shows just how good these white Rhone blends can be.

 2010 Crozes-Hermitage rouge ‘Georges Reynaud’ available now
100% Syrah from vines with average age of 20 years. Vinified in cement cuve with cuvaison up to 32 days and very gentle pressing in a vertical press. Elevage on fine lees for 12 months in barrel (none new) then for 6-7 months in cement cuve before bottling

 2010 Crozes-Hermitage rouge ‘Les Croix’ (due April 2012)
Individual vineyard of 100% Syrah situated in Beaumont-Monteux with vines aged more than 55 years. The grapes are totally de-stemmed and vinified in cement cuve with cuvaison up to 32 days and very gentle pressing in a vertical press. Elevage on fine lees for 12 months in old barrel before bottling. This vineyard has a good proportion of clay with limestone sub-soil which gives freshness and structure for aging.  Yields are kept low around 35 hectoliters per hectare giving a wine of depth and structure for mid-term aging up to 10 years.