2023 Crozes Hermitage

The 2023 Crozes-Hermitage is beautiful and nicely displays the soft, forward style of the vintage. Ripe red and blue fruits, flowery incense, potpourri, and spicy notes all define the aromatics. It's medium-bodied, with a supple, layered mouthfeel, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Seeing an extended maceration and aged in demi-muids and ovoid vats, this charming effort will have 5-7 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2032. Founded in 2004 by Natacha Chave and based in Mercurol, Domaine Aléofane farms roughly 8.5 hectares across Crozes-Hermitage and Saint Joseph. The Crozes-Hermitage wines come from clay and rolled pebble soils in the Hauts Châssis (La Roche de Glun) and Malfondières (Mercurol) lieux-dits, with the white made from 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne, fermented and aged in a mix of concrete eggs and demi-muids. The red Crozes sees extended maceration and is aged mostly in demi-muids. The Saint Joseph, which comes from vines near Tournon, also sees a long maceration with élevage in both demi-muids and Burgundy barrels. The Cornas is a more recent addition and, as far as I know, is the only wine here fermented with 100% whole clusters. These are always singular, exotic wines, and while in the past they leaned a little too natural for my taste, that's changed in recent vintages. Today, they show beautiful purity without losing their distinctive character.