The soft-spoken yet deeply thoughtful vigneronne Emilie Desmeures crafts some of my favorite wines from Crozes-Hermitage. “Origine” is the new name for the estate’s traditional cuvée, and since we first began working with these wines nearly a decade ago, it has remained one of my go-to bottles for sheer value from the Northern Rhône. There has always been a generosity to Emilie’s wines. She fully destems and isn’t afraid to let the fruit speak clearly and confidently. Sweet black cherry and raspberry notes lead the way, followed by classic Rhône accents of tobacco, olive, and bay leaf. Firmly Northern Rhône in character, it still carries the lushness and approachability that many New World Syrah drinkers will immediately connect with.