M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonniers 2020

Aromas of dark cherries, blueberries, smoke and violets. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins and crisp acidity. Such character for the appellation with precision and poise. Great energy with a focused long, long finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.

Graphite, plum and blackberry. Beautifully silky, has a good sense of fluidity but also remarkable intensity and concentration. Energy and drive, with deep fruit and sweet tannins. Has a mineral straightness that helps to temper the ripe fruit and ripe tannin. The alcohol is quite raised but not unbalanced. A cut above most Crozes-Hermitages, more serious in style and texture.

Sourced from a west-facing granite slope, the 2020 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers shows excellent concentration and ripeness, yet it never goes overboard. Violets, blueberries and cassis appear on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied, framed by silky tannins and finishes long, with a surprising level of elegance. This may be one 2020 that surpasses the 2019 version.