Vintage Character Cristia Collection Hermitage 2020 is a red from Hermitage, France, made from Syrah. The northern Rhône's 2020 season started early after a mild, dry winter, with strong sunshine and summer heat. Some sites faced water shortage early in summer; the regional body nevertheless described Syrah with a balance of freshness and concentration, while yields varied by sector. For a Hermitage red, ripe dark fruit sits alongside mineral tension and firm structure. Its early rhythm explains why a powerful hillside Syrah can still carry precise acidity.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing Blackberry, violet, dark plum and pepper rise from this Hermitage Syrah, with a savoury suggestion of leather and smoke as it opens. The dry palate is full, firm and persistent, its dark fruit held by mineral tension and a long tannic finish. Braised beef, venison and aged hard cheese have the substance to answer that frame. The wine can take careful decanting when young, but its aroma changes with air and bottle condition. This is a deeper, more structured northern-Rhône expression than the Collection's Crozes-Hermitage, not just a stronger version of the same appellation.
Winery Background Hermitage is a small northern-Rhône cru built around a steep hill above the river, and its red wine is Syrah. Cristia Collection is the Grangeon family's selected-appellation range, so the Hermitage name points to the grape's district rather than a Courthézon vineyard. Etienne Grangeon founded the family property in the 1950s, with Alain later expanding it and Baptiste and Dominique strengthening parcel selection and export. Their Collection reaches into northern appellations while retaining the proper geographical name. This bottle is separate from their Crozes-Hermitage and the family's Grenache-led southern wines.