2020 Crozes Hermitage Domaine Roure

The 2020 Crozes Hermitage Domaine De Roure is more focused and austere, with some background wood in its darker berries, graphite, ground pepper, and bouquet garni-like nuances. It's medium to full-bodied, has firm tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. It's another beautiful wine that will age gracefully.

Although still very young and quite tightly wound, this remarkable Crozes-Hermitage already has an enticing nose of red fruit and wild herbs. Both concentrated and quite fleshy on the mid-palate, before it turns more stony with a hint of tar at the long, focused finish. From 40 to 60-year-old vines. From biodynamically grown grapes.

Coming from more granitic soils, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine De Roure is also solid, yet shows a more focused, fresh, leaner style. Classic granite-influenced blue fruits, peppery herbs, and violets dominate the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with ripe yet building tannins and outstanding length. Both Crozes from this estate are outstanding wines in the making. While the wheels haven’t come completely off at this estate, there’s a significant drop in terms of quality starting with the 2019s and continuing with the 2020s. Whether this is simply COVID related or indicative of a larger issue is yet to be determined. To be sure, the wines are still well-made, but to have access to some of the greatest terroirs in the world and to be producing mid-weight, lean wines is disappointing to say the least.