A good friend and from the same generation as Jean-Louis Chave – Gilles Robin is a 10 years old star. Gilles now owns 15 hectares of vineyard, mostly in Crozes-Hermitage where his vines are close to Chapoutier's Meysonniers, and Jaboulet's Thalabert.

Gilles Robin took over the running of this vineyard in 1996, with the freedom to produce his own wines. With a history of winegrowing spanning four generations, Gilles' aim was to realise the potential of the 35 year old vines. He immediately used only natural fertilizers and reduced yields to just 40 hectolitres per hectare to give a richer concentration of fruit and quality. Gilles' vineyard now extends to Saint Joseph (where he makes a tiny volume) and Hermitage, the core vineyard averages forty years old, and the wines gain in subtlety and balance with every vintage. 

Another well-made effort from this estate and comes all from the Les Chassis region of the appellation (the southern flat plain). Plums, blackberry and hints of strawberries all give way to a plump, rounded, delicious wine that's ideal for drinking over the coming couple of years.

100% Syrah, it's a great match with beef loin with mushroom sauce, fried ‘tournedos’, leg of lamb, roast duck, or Roquefort.