ABOUT: Regarding the name of this domaine, vintages prior to 2013 were called Le Domaine de Lucie, then sister Nancy Cellier joined in 2013 and they changed the name to Domaine Les 4 Vents. You'll notice this wine has a Lucie label but is titled as a 4 Vents. This is because the name 4 Vents is searched for on the internet and Lucie isn't. Good? Lucie Fourel took over her parents 3.5 hectares of vines in Crozes-Hermitage in 2006 and started making wine. Her sister joined up in 2013. They currently farm 10 hectares of vines and are both organic and biodynamic certified. The fruit for this Aux Racines de Saint-Jaimes comes from 40+ year old Syrah vines planted by Lucie’s grandfather. The grapes are hand harvested as late and possible, fermentation is whole bunch, the wine is matured for a year in a demi-muids and is bottled without fining or filtering. Natural, complex, and affordable. Tastes good too.
TASTE: The vines for this Saint Jaimes are older than the vines for the Pitchounettes and it’s evident in this dark, multiform, earthy brew. Lucie’s grandfather planted the vines for this wine next to their home in Saint-Jaimes several decades ago. The years in bottle, now 10, have moved this wine into a great phase of sinewy black cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors, campfire, dried fruit, mushroom and salt. We consider this a worthwhile trip in flavor back to 2011, affordable and also insightful into the depths and greatness of ageing Crozes-Hermitage.
PAIR: Spicy Cauliflower tacos, roasted mushroom baked lasagna, crispy Korean barbecue tofu, roasted parmesan potatoes, and vegetable pot pie.