Sourced from the north of the appellation around Serves-sur-Rh?ne and Gervans, Combier's medium to full-bodied 2017 Crozes Hermitage Cap Nord spent a year in older barrels prior to bottling. More restrained and structured than the regular domaine bottling, it offers a different style of Crozes, with red plum notes, hints of crushed stone and firm tannins on the finish that suggest mid-term cellaring.

From granitic soils around Serves and Gervans, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage Cap Nord is Combier's more "serious" Crozes, intended for aging. It's dark and earthy, with plum and cola notes framed by soft, dusty tannins on the medium-bodied palate and lengthy finish.

Moving to the 2014s, the 2014 Crozes Hermitage Cap Nord comes from more loess and decomposed granite soils (near Serves and Gervans), and was vinified and aged in older barrels. Black fruits, smoked earth, and plenty of meatiness and bacon fat emerge from this beauty, and it's medium-bodied, moderately concentrated and layered, with ripe tannin. I love its purity of fruit, it has no hard edges and a forward, balanced style that should evolve nicely through 2024.

Another beauty is the 2013 Crozes Hermitage Cap Nord, which comes from a granite terroir and is aged in older barrels. It reveals complex notes of saddle leather, garrigue and violets intermixed with a terrific core of black and blue fruits. With medium-bodied richness, a layered, elegant profile and outstanding length, it should keep nicely through 2023.