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Like Hermitage, the northern Crozes village of Gervans is a severed fragment of the Ardèche granite uplands on the opposite side of the Rhône. In fact, only 10% of Crozes is on granite, with the majority composed of alluvial and clay soil, covered by thick layers of the iconic galets roulés. However, it’s on the frigid, granite slopes around Gervans and Larnage that Souillard finds the purity and freshness he craves in his Crozes wines. He makes only three to four barrels of the village Crozes each year. It’s a blend of two parcels in Gervans: one on pure granite soils high up the slope, which brings a great deal of freshness; and the second from a mix of granite and gravel soils closer to the river.
The ferment is mostly whole bunches in stainless steel before 14 months’ maturation in old barriques (three to 10 years old). The wine bears Souillard’s trademark of structure, moderate alcohol, tension and balance, and is thus far removed from the softer, plusher style of Crozes found further south.