The young man behind Les Trois Chênes, Emmanuel Darnaud, is emerging as something of a prodigy. Lauded by critics including Rhône expert John Livingstone-Learmonth, Robert Parker as well as Jeb Dunnuck, his wines now grace dozens of Michelin-star wine lists around the world. For such notoriety, Darnaud’s journey did not begin all that long ago. After a rewarding four-year apprenticeship under traditional Hermitage legend, Bernard Faurie, Emmanuel struck out on his own in 2001 with only 1.5 hectares to produce his first vintage. Although his holdings have grown to over 15 hectares, he is still crafting his wines with the same meticulous care as he did from his first small holdings. Les Trois Chênes, which translates to ‘the three oaks,’ is named after three oak trees that grace one of Darnaud’s oldest vineyards; the parcels for this wine are blessed with alluvial stone outcroppings amidst brown clay subsoil. 

 

It’s taken more than a stroke of luck and old parcels of great vines to garner the success Emmanuel has achieved. Like an auteur of the vines, Emmanuel tends to every miniscule detail in the vineyard and the cellar. While farming lutte raisonnée, which translates to “reasoned fight,” he also adheres to strict leaf management with an eye to more aeration and exposure; he alternates cover crop to reduce the impact of machinery, although harvest is conducted manually each year. Harvested fruit is chilled then subjected to cold pre-fermentation before it is fermented for three weeks while undergoing underfoot crush, which is the most gentle and time consuming practice. After fermentation, the wine is aged for fourteen months in a mix of mostly neutral large and small barrels. As a result, Emmanuel crafts a beautiful expression of Syrah that boasts incredibly soft tannins, full voluptuous fruit and a remarkable balance that drinks like a slightly softer version of a top-quality Hermitage. The Northern Rhône is the most classic and famous region in the world for the Syrah varietal. Even if you don’t normally drink Syrah, this is a wine that will undoubtedly convert you to a Northern Rhône lover.