Domaine Combier Crozes‑Hermitage Cuvée Laurent 2024 is a pure, organically farmed northern Rhône Syrah that’s all about freshness and fruit, giving you a vivid, peppery Crozes that’s seriously drinkable from the get‑go. Drawn mainly from young‑vine Syrah on clay‑limestone plateaus with rolled pebbles, it’s fermented and raised in concrete and older oak to keep everything bright, supple and unmarked by new wood.

In the glass you’re looking at a pretty violet‑red colour and a lifted nose of blackberry, blackcurrant and raspberry, laced with violet, black pepper, soft liquorice and a hint of black olive and dried herbs. The palate is medium‑bodied, juicy and silky, with crunchy black fruits, sweet spice and olive tapenade notes wrapped in fine, well‑integrated tannins and a long, fresh, delicately peppery finish that invites another sip. It’s a modern, precise Crozes – vibrant, approachable and bang‑on for Rhône fans who like their Syrah fragrant rather than heavy.

Food‑wise, Cuvée Laurent 2024 is a brilliant match for roast chook, grilled rib‑eye, lamb cutlets with herbs or bistro dishes like steak frites, as well as roasted veg and mushroom‑driven vegetarian plates. Serve it lightly chilled or at cool‑cellar temperature and it becomes a fantastic by‑the‑glass option or a mid‑week northern Rhône that still carries genuine estate character and complexity.