×

This wine has a per person limit. We do this as the wine is hard to find, very rare and/or incredibly sought after.

We do this to ensure that we are able to share the love with everyone!

We kindly ask that you do not abuse this limit by placing multiple orders. In the event that you place multiple orders - they will be canceled and subject to a 5% cancellation fee.

If you would like to request more than the allowable amount - we may be able to help - send us an email at info@thatcherswineconsulting.com

2019 Franck Balthazar, Crozes-Hermitage

Vinous

92

CellarTracker

88
Regular price $30
/

2019 Franck Balthazar, Crozes-Hermitage

Vinous

92

CellarTracker

88
Regular price $30
/
0 In Stock

Add to Favorites

We’re currently updating


Please try refreshing your page or logging out. If this issue persists, please click the button below or email us at info@thatcherswine.com.


Same Day Pick Up At Bay Area

The wine is currently not available for pickup from Bay Area.

View store information


How this estate remains off the radar for so many is a wonder - the Balthazar family has been crafting wines for nearly a century, the vines largely at least that old, with a further bump in quality when Franck purchased Noël Verset's ancient vineyard upon his retirement.

Franck Balthazar

A single-man production largely, the grapes are fermented whole-cluster, with some punching down and pumping over; the goal is purity of fruit, each vineyard plot vinified separately in large (600L) casks.

The Crozes-Hermitage comes from "younger" vines - about 40 years of age, and spends about 20 months in barrel. Long, spicy and complex.

Franck will bottle 3 different Cornas wines; first, the "Casimir" is a young plot of vines planted to granite soils, generating beautiful spice and length to the Syrah. He will create a Sans Soufre (no sulfur added) cuvée from similarly young vines, allowing for a wine that is effusive and ready to drink immediately. Finally, the big boy, Cornas Chaillot, from vines planted in 1911 and 1913...wow. This is the Verset plot which Franck ferments whole-cluster before moving the juice to the demi-muids for about 18 months. There is no new oak here at all!

Meet the Producer

Franck Balthazar

How this estate remains off the radar for so many is a wonder - the Balthazar family has been crafting wines for nearly a century, the vines largely at least that old, with a further bump in quality when Franck purchased Noël Verset's ancient vineyard upon his retirement.

A single-man production largely, the grapes are fermented whole-cluster, with some punching down and pumping over; the goal is purity of fruit, each vineyard plot vinified separately in large (600L) casks.

The Crozes-Hermitage comes from "younger" vines - about 40 years of age, and spends about 20 months in barrel. Long, spicy and complex.

Franck will bottle 3 different Cornas wines; first, the "Casimir" is a young plot of vines planted to granite soils, generating beautiful spice and length to the Syrah. He will create a Sans Soufre (no sulfur added) cuvée from similarly young vines, allowing for a wine that is effusive and ready to drink immediately. Finally, the big boy, Cornas Chaillot, from vines planted in 1911 and 1913...wow. This is the Verset plot which Franck ferments whole-cluster before moving the juice to the demi-muids for about 18 months. There is no new oak here at all!


Vinous

Vinous

92

Deep, glistening ruby. Aromas of spice-accented dark berries and cherry, with a smoky nuance that builds in the glass. Silky and broad on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors with a hint of candied flowers. Finishes youthfully taut and long, with repeating florality and polished tannins that add shape and firming grip.

What the Critics are Saying

Vinous

Vinous

92

Deep, glistening ruby. Aromas of spice-accented dark berries and cherry, with a smoky nuance that builds in the glass. Silky and broad on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors with a hint of candied flowers. Finishes youthfully taut and long, with repeating florality and polished tannins that add shape and firming grip.