M. Chapoutier Les Meysonniers 2023

M. Chapoutier is a seventh generation Rhone Valley house, and Les Meysonniers is its organic Crozes-Hermitage, drawn from Syrah vines more than twenty five years old. The vineyards sit on the gentle glacial terraces of the appellation, where stones and alluvial gravel over clay drain well and store daytime heat that helps the Syrah ripen fully. The northern Rhone climate is continental, and the swing between warm days and cool nights holds the natural acidity and fixes the peppery, savoury character that marks the grape here. Farming is organic. The wine spends twelve months split between barrel and cement tanks, a raising that softens the tannins and knits the fruit together while the neutral cement keeps the aromatics fresh rather than adding oak flavour. The colour is deep ruby. The nose leads with blackberry and plum over black pepper, cured olive and woodsmoke, and the palate is medium to full bodied with fine tannins, a savoury core and a lingering peppery finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted for half an hour. Good with roast lamb, grilled beef and game.