Gilles Robin made his first vintage of Crozes-Hermitage in 1996. At that time he had to help him his grand father, and when Gilles later created a cuvée prestige he named it after his grandfather: Cuvée Alberic Bouvet. Gilles now has 15 ha in Crozes and a small parcel in Saint Joseph. All Gilles’s wines have a very good expression of the grape variety – Syrah. But he is keen that also the terroirs should be evident in his wines. The best way to do that, he says, is to grow your vines organically, so, no chemical pesticides, and only natural fertilizers. Harvesting is manual. His red Crozes-Hermitage, Le Papillon, comes from a five hectare plot with young vines that he has planted himself. It is peppery and fruity (blackberries, black currants). The 2003 costs 9 euro at the vineyard (if there is still some left). Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Albéric Bouvet is made from old vines, planted by Gilles’s father 45 years ago. The wine has spent 16 months in oak. The bouquet is full of spices – cinnamon, cloves, pepper, liquorice, and the taste is long with a very expressive Syrah character (14 euro). Gilles also makes a very nice white Crozes from Marsanne and Roussanne grapes.