Domaine Aléofane Crozes-Hermitage 2021
As a child, Natacha Chave knew she would make wine like her parents. Her father is Bernard Chave, who created his domaine in 1970 and became well renowned for his wines from the Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage appellations.
Her brother, Yann Chave, took over his father’s renowned domaine in 2000. Natacha enrolled at the Suze la Rousse wine university in 2003, passed the difficult 'Farming Professional Capacity' certification, then travelled to various winegrowers to complete her work experience.
In 2004, she bought 3.5 acres of vines in the Saint Joseph appellation at Tournon-sur-Rhône. Three years later she added to her vineyard holdings, buying 40-year-old vines in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, extending her domaine to 16 acres. The name of her domaine is Aléofane, in reference with the imaginary island from a favorite book from her childhood, written by John Macmillan Brown.
Natacha Chave farms organically and also uses biodynamic preparations that favor the stimulation of the plant's natural immunity and its balance. In the winery she uses indigenous yeasts with no added nutrients or enzymes, no filtration, no fining and few sulfites.
Natacha Chave’s 2021 Crozes-Hermitage is crafted from 50-year-old Syrah vines, organically farmed in the Chassis plain in the Crozes-Hermitage region of the Northern Rhône. It is dense and concentrated, but even with this concentration of fruit, she manages to maintain a beautiful balance. Great expression of Syrah on the nose with black plum and dark berry aromas. The palate opens up on a concentration of dark fruits with velvety texture and tannins. A textbook example of Northern Rhône Syrah.
