Saturated magenta. Displays expressive red and dark berry, smoked meat, olive and floral qualities on the spice-accented nose. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering gently sweet cherry-cola, blackberry and baking spice flavors that show fine detail and a mineral, back-end lift. Finishes very long and subtly chewy, with repeating smokiness, harmonious tannins and strong persistence.

I tasted three different lots of the 2020 Crozes Hermitage, picked at very different ripeness levels. One, picked on August 23 at just 11.7 degrees of potential alcohol, was light-bodied, with paper-like tannins but charming, cherry-like fruit. Another, picked September 8-10 at 13.8-13.9 degrees, shows more weight, velvety richness and darker-fruit flavors. The bulk was picked somewhere in between, with lively purple raspberry fruit, a crisp, medium-bodied feel on the palate and a bright, vibrant finish.