I chased after this wine on Saturday morning and eventually snagged 3 bottles. I find it a beautiful contrast to the furry chewy shiraz wines of Australia or the more astringent cousins in Chile. This 2007 has finesse, depth, and layers of fruit, notably bing cherry and a hint of liquorice. It is a gentleman's shiraz, in other words, a true and thoughtful Rhone syrah.

I attempted to drink a highly rated Aussie Shiraz right after this and couldn't believe the contrast. This wine has an intense peppery nose. It is smooth and complex at the same time. I fear my big Shiraz days may be numbered as I quite preferred this French Syrah. I'm good for a case!

The 2007 Domaine Belle Les Pierrelles Crozes Hermitage is light to MEDIUM bodied, with nice aromas of FRUITY to integrated strawberry, raspberry, prune, cedar and black pepper. Tannins are subtle to refined (decant for more than 1 hour to fully open), acidity is nice and the finish is medium. It should evolve nicely for the next 5 years, but can be drunk now. My impression: NICE, 90 pts - not a syrah that resembles anything from the new world and not exactly doing it for me, but the wine is surely well crafted and quite unique and therefore a recommended buy. Tasted Feb/11.

If you would like to see wines I recommend and that are still available at the LCBO, please visit this link (listed in my profile):

http://www.winealign.com/wino/dantrcka/recomended-wines-you-can-still-buy

Recognizably north Rhone syrah, focused, with notes of pepper, cool dark berries, smoke and earth. Sinewy and medium bodied, with fine acidity and balance. Drinking very well now but has the stuffing to keep for several more years. Tasted Feb 2012.

August 2012. Pulled this from the cellar, having not tasted it when purchased. Good deep colour, just beginning to fade to pinke at the rim. Very nice peppery, heather nose with ripe fruit beneath. Fully ripe, but flavours are driven by the earth tones. Tannins are ripe, but this will hold a while yet. All in all, right on target for Northern Rhone, if not quite reaching to the heights of the big boy wines from Hermitage or Cote Rotie.

Had a couple bottles in my cellar so I thought I'd try one...still not drinking the greatest, this sucker needs oceans of time to settle down. Really harsh and tannic still. The wine is extremely well made but currently lacks finesse. Flavours are still really muted. Glad i have another bottle for the decade wait.

What am I missing here? thin, hot and minerally, lacks character for a food match or just drinking. 1 early in year, another 9/2011. 2 left