Domaine Saint Clair
Crozes-Hermitage, France
The Estate
Denis Basset’s first release under his own label was in 2007. The Domaine was born out of vineyards owned by Denis’ father who sold his grapes to the Tain Co-operative.
The Domaine has 15 hectares over Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph dedicated to Syrah with some Marsanne and Roussanne. The vineyards are farmed organically, manually harvested, ferments are in stainless steel without stems and elevage takes place in oak casks of which only 15% are new.
The wines are pure with beautiful plum and raspberry fruit – the Étincelle is fleshy yet upright and immediately approachable; La fleur enchantée is from 46-year-old vines and spends 14 months in oak and is richer & more structured.
The Winemaker
Denis Basset
Denis Basset’s family has grown flowers and wine grapes for a long time. For years their emphasis was on the flowers and they sold the grapes to others. Then Denis touched a live, 20,000 volt power line and nearly died. The near-electrocution caused him to reflect, and in the hospital he resolved to take up the job he had always dreamed of: making wine.
Thus was born the Domaine St. Clair, a new but excellent producer of Crozes-Hermitage and St. Joseph. The red Crozes is named “Etincelle” (spark) in honor of Denis’s inspiration (the label contains the lines of an electrical field). But from what’s in the bottle one might think that he had been making wine all his life.
— Denis Basset, Winemaker at Domaine Saint Clair
The Vineyard Location
Domaine Saint Clair
265 Imp. de la Grand Grange,
26600 Beaumont-Monteux, France
