One of the most recognizable French saints, Saint Martin was known for sharing. In 1879, local monks erected the saint’s cross (in the provincial language, Crous means cross), as a landmark to indicate the road to Châteauneuf. 1879 was an iconic year for French wine.

Crous St. Martin reveres this history surrounding its winery; it’s obvious from its name and the name of this wine. The Crous St Martin Chateauneuf-du-Pape Hommage a l'an 1879 expresses both French history and the prized regional terroir, a terroir that’s prized for the Grenache-based blends that grow in its soils composed of river stones made of quartzite mixed with brown clay. Those stones absorb the sun’s heat during the day and give it back off during the night, giving Crous St. Martin wines depth and concentration.

The winery is a collaboration between Rhone expert Harry Bosmans and winemaker Eric Bonnet of Domaine Bastide Saint Dominique. Eric spent his early winemaking years up North in Burgundy, and that influence still shows in the delicate balance he is able to achieve between power and detail in his wines, including this classic GSM blend, a blend that’s the backbone of most Chateauneuf wines.

Grenache is joined by Syrah and Mourvedre in this blend, and the winery takes great pains to ensure each variety is harvested at the optimal time. The harvest starts with Syrah, followed by Grenache, and finishes with Mourvèdre which needs more time to mature. The result is an elegant, silky wine full of blue and black fruits, spice, and polished tannins. A quintessential Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and one of the best value CdPs we’ve seen in a long time. Share this wine with a friend who appreciates a fantastic Grenache blend from the region that does it best. 

2022 was an extraordinary vintage. Wine Advocate blessed this year with a 96pt review, Vinous Media awarded it 95pts and said: "A ripe, powerful vintage with some gorgeous wines. Reds are lush, richly styled, silky and balanced.

Aging: 80% steel vat (Grenache), 20% 2 to 5 years in 228-liter oak casks (Syrah-Mourvèdre) raised 15 months, unfined, unfiltered. 

80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. Ruby colored with aromas of cherry, mulberry, plum, and spices. The palate is full of blackcurrant, spice, and white pepper. Tannins are polished and silky. Round and powerful with a long finish.

This full-bodied Chateauneuf is very silky and manages to come off lighter than it really is. Lots of spice and wild thyme complexity. Long, structured finish that’s emphatically dry, but not a jot too muscular. Drink or hold. ~93 James Suckling

I loved the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Crous Saint Martin Hommage À L'An 1879, a blend of 80% Grenache and equal parts Syrah and Mourvèdre coming from a mix of sandy and pebbly soils. Mulled red and black fruit, roasted garrigue, licorice, and Provençal spice notes define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, round, beautifully textured, and concentrated. ~92 Jeb Dunnuck

Blending 80% Grenache with the remainder equally divided between Syrah and Mourvèdre, the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Crous Saint Martin Hommage à l'An 1879 aged for 15 months in a combination of stainless steel tanks (80%) and old oak barriques (20%). Swirling the glass unlocks prominent licorice, blackberry, black cherry and black tea aromas. Full-bodied and polished, the 2022 is sufficiently concentrated yet smoothly balanced and refreshing at the same time. It will provide ample pleasure right out of the gate. ~92 Vinous Media

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