Saint Clair Crozes-Hermitage “Etincelle” 2020

After a near electrocution more than a decade ago, winemaker Denis Basset decided to pursue his personal passion and began making wine from the family’s long-established vineyards.

The Crozes-Hermitage “Etincelle” 2020 is almost entirely barrel-raised, with about 10% raised en cuve to assure freshness. It spent three additional pandemic months in barrel before bottling in December of last year, and the result is an attractive roundness in the mouth as it shows off its ripe, dark fruit with its touch of black pepper.