Wine Advocate: 92 Points
This vintage some tasters may actually prefer the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Louis Belle over the Roche Pierre. There's still plenty of cedar and vanilla influence but more of the fruit comes through and?at least for the moment?the wood and fruit seem better integrated. Mixed berries and cedar mingle easily on the medium to full-bodied palate swirling into a long balanced finish with hints of black olives and licorice. Tasted twice (once blind) with consistent notes. Published: Jan 20 2022
Vinous: 92 Points
Opaque violet. Smoky spice-accented aromas of cherry black raspberry and singed plum with hints of licorice and cracked pepper. Broad and pliant in texture offering dark berry and violet pastille flavors along with hints of licorice and smoked meat. Finishes spicy and long with a repeating berry note and rounded tannins adding subtle grip. - By Josh Raynolds on December 2022 With some 30 hectares of vines in Crozes-Hermitage (and a tiny morsel of Hermitage) mainly on the granitic soils of Larnage plus another 20 hectares of apricot trees in the south the Belle family is a significant player in the agricultural life of the region. Many of the wines produced here which are consistently high quality and well-priced wind up in local restaurants as anybody who has visited the area knows. The Crozes-Hermitage Roche-Pierre can be among the best wines of the appellation and the workhorse Les Pierrelles bottling delivers solid value and early drinkability. The Hermitage assuming that you can find it is really outstanding in 2019 and 2018. New oak is in play here averaging around 25% and up to 50% depending on the vintage and the wine but I have learned that it becomes integrated relatively quickly with not a lot of bottle age.
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