Crozes-Hermitage Les trois chênes
OUBTS Masterclass with Jackie Ang MW (5 Feb 2026)Overview
This 2022 Crozes-Hermitage from Emmanuel Darnaud represents a masterful balance between the solar ripeness of the vintage and the producer's commitment to terroir transparency. 'Les trois chênes' delivers a pure, unadulterated expression of Syrah from the Northern Rhône, combining opulent black fruit with the variety's signature peppery, floral complexity. The wine possesses both immediate appeal and serious structure, with tannins that suggest a decade of evolution ahead while remaining approachable in its youth. It is a compelling argument for the elevated quality possible in Crozes-Hermitage when handled with such precision and respect for place.
Appearance
The wine presents with exceptional luminosity and depth, characteristic of a ripe Northern Rhône vintage. The vivid purple hue and staining of the glass indicate both extraction and the natural intensity of Syrah from granite-influenced soils. There is no sign of oxidation or bricking, confirming the wine's primary, youthful stage of development.
Nose
The bouquet erupts from the glass with an intoxicating perfume of crushed violets and sun-warmed blackberries, immediately announcing its Syrah pedigree. Beneath the primary fruit lies a savory, almost wild character—cracked black pepper and pungent boxwood—that speaks to the wine's Northern Rhône terroir. As the wine opens, subtle whispers of vanilla and toasted oak emerge, integrating seamlessly with notes of dark liquorice and smoked meat. There is an arresting purity here, a crystalline expression of granite and galets that balances the warmth of the 2022 vintage with lifted aromatic complexity.
Intensity: Pronounced | Condition: Clean, expressive
Primary Aromas
Secondary Aromas
Tertiary Aromas
Palate
Flavours: Crushed blackberry, blackcurrant cassis, cracked black pepper, violet petals, olive tapenade, smoked bacon, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, wet granite
Finish: Long and complex, lingering with notes of pepper, dark fruit, and a distinct mineral salinity that echoes the terroir
Quality: Outstanding
Structure
Terroir
Les Trois Chênes derives its name from three ancient oak trees marking a specific parcel situated on the elevated plateau of Crozes-Hermitage, where the vineyards benefit from a commanding position overlooking the Rhône Valley. This sector of the appellation features the famed galets roulés—smooth, rounded stones deposited by the Rhône and Alpine glaciers—over clay-limestone subsoils, providing both excellent drainage and heat retention. The proximity to the Massif Central creates a rain shadow effect, while the site's elevation ensures cooling breezes, contributing to the wine's characteristic balance of ripeness and freshness. The 2022 vintage, marked by an exceptionally warm and dry growing season, resulted in concentrated fruit with preserved acidity due to the significant diurnal temperature shifts typical of this terroir.
Geology
The galets roulés absorb heat during the day and radiate it back at night, aiding grape ripening and maturity, while the clay-limestone subsoil provides water retention during dry periods and contributes mineral complexity, lending the wine its characteristic structure, savory notes, and ability to age gracefully.
Climate
Diurnal Range: Significant temperature variation with warm days reaching 28-32°C and cool nights dropping to 12-16°C, particularly pronounced on the plateau sites due to altitude and wind patterns
Vinification
Traditional Northern Rhône Syrah vinification with organic and biodynamic vineyard management, emphasizing whole-cluster fermentation and minimal intervention
Hand-harvested grapes undergo partial or full whole-cluster fermentation using indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks with gentle extraction, followed by aging for 12-18 months in demi-muids (600L French oak barrels), typically with minimal new oak usage, and bottled with minimal sulfur additions and without fining or filtration
Emmanuel Darnaud practices biodynamic and organic principles to express the specific terroir of each parcel, favoring elegance, freshness, and terroir transparency over extraction and power, allowing the unique character of the Les Trois Chênes vineyard to shine through with minimal manipulation
Winery History
Founded: Family domaine with Emmanuel Darnaud assuming control in 2009
Emmanuel Darnaud represents a new generation of Northern Rhône vignerons, having assumed control of his family's estate in Crozes-Hermitage in 2009 and immediately converting the vineyards to organic and biodynamic practices. He has gained recognition for crafting wines of exceptional purity and finesse from specific parcels within the appellation, elevating the reputation of Crozes-Hermitage beyond its traditional role as Hermitage's neighbor through meticulous vineyard work and sensitive winemaking.
Winemaker: Emmanuel Darnaud
Organic and biodynamic viticulture with a focus on parcel-specific wines that express the distinct terroirs of Crozes-Hermitage, emphasizing low-intervention winemaking, native yeast fermentation, and sustainable agriculture to reveal the pure voice of Syrah from each site