2023 Domaine du Chêne Vert "L'Enracinée" Crozes-Hermitage Rouge

The 2023 Crozes-Hermitage L'Enracinée is well-made, with a solid array of red and black fruits interwoven with savory herbs, pepper, and spicy wood nuances. These carry to a medium-bodied wine that's balanced, has a concentrated, nicely textured mouthfeel, and a great finish. Made from 100% Syrah with partial whole clusters and aged mostly in used barrels, it's a touch foursquare, yet I suspect it will gain a touch of elegance with 2-3 years of bottle age. Drink 2027-2033.

L’Enracinée—meaning “deeply rooted”—comes from 60-year-old vines of massal selection planted over pebbles and clay-loam soils. The wine is 50% whole-cluster fermented and aged in barrels, with the best lots selected for this cuvée. A more mouthfilling expression, it opens with blackberry and blackcurrant fruit layered with notes of lavender and wild thyme. Hints of smoked meat and spice add a classic Syrah character. The palate shows depth and lift, unfolding gracefully with air. Restrained yet expressive, it’s an elegant wine with a touch of swagger—like a bespoke suit accented by a perfectly chosen pocket square.