Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Chênes 2021 2022

Emmanuel Darnaud makes wine in Crozes-Hermitage in the northern Rhone, schooled by his father-in-law Bernard Faurie, a long-standing figure of Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. Les Trois Chenes is pure Syrah, the single red grape of the northern Rhone, from the appellation that surrounds the Hermitage hill. The vineyards lie on a mix of granite slopes and stony alluvial terraces, with a continental climate where warm days and cool nights ripen Syrah while preserving its peppery, savoury character and firm acidity. The 2022 was aged fifteen months in oak barrels, the wood adding structure and a smoky note while slow oxygen exchange softens the tannin without masking the fruit. The colour is deep purple. The nose is concentrated and savoury, with dark berries, plum, black pepper, olive and a smoky, herbal edge. The palate is medium to full bodied and balanced, with fine tannin, dark fruit, a meaty, peppery character and a long finish. At 13.5 percent it shows the elegance and freshness of cooler northern Rhone Syrah. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees with grilled or roast red meat and game.