Yves Cuilleron IGP Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah ‘Les Vignes d’à Côté’ 2020
13% abv, Chavanay, imported by the Jack Edwards Collection, Napa, CA. Cork closure: composite. Biodynamic calendar: leaf day. Winemaking notes: 100% Syrah from Chavanay, grapes partially de-stemmed and fermented with natural yeast and punched down, aged for 7 months: 50% in French oak barrels and 50% in stainless steel tank. Tasting note: the “les Vignes […]
Pierre la Grand Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2020
13% abv, imported by MISA Imports, Inc. & Craig Baker Selections, Dallas, TX. Cork closure: synthetic. Biodynamic calendar: fruit day. Winemaking notes: 60% Marsanne & 40% Roussanne aged 9 months on the lees. Tasting note: the Crozes-Hermitage Blanc is medium lemon in color with a clean nose of medium intensity with aromas of honeysuckle, hawthorn, […]
Les Vins de Vienne IGP Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier 2019
14% abv, Cuilleron, Villard & Gaillard, imported by DHI, Manhasset, NY. Cork closure: composite. Biodynamic calendar: Winemaking notes: 100% Viognier aged in neutral French oak for 6 months. Tasting note: the Viognier is medium lemon in color with a clean nose of medium intensity with aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossom, beeswax, French vanilla, peach, mango […]
Domaine de Rutissons IGP Isère Etraire de la D’huy 2019
13% abv, Le Touvet, Laurent Fondimare and Wilfrid Debroize, imported by Fass Selections, Irvine, CA. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: root day. Here comes another exciting wine from the up-and-coming IGP Isere, an area between Grenoble and Chambéry. The producer Domaine de Rutissons is located near Lake Annecy, yet they produce wines of another world, […]
Domaine des Rutissons IGP Isère Verdesse 2019
13% abv, imported by Fass Selections Inc, Irvine, CA. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: fruit day. What is IGP Isère? An up-and-coming area near Grenoble for curious and indigenous grape varieties from the Domaine des Rutissons. Due to the proximity to Grenoble, this area is technically a satellite of the Rhone department, yet it may […]
Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes Hermitage ‘Mule Blanche’ 2018
13% abv, La Roche de Glun, Tain L’Hermitage, Drôme, imported by MISA Imports, Dallas, TX. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: root day. Jaboulet is a big house with an impressive range of wines at the higher end. I was excited to try this single-vineyard Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, a blend of 50% Marsanne and 50% Roussanne from vineyards […]
Domaine Rouge-Bleu ‘Mistral’ Côtes du Rhône-Villages Saint Cécile 2017
14% abv, Saint Cécile-les-Vignes, imported by BBR Imports, Houston, TX. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: fruit day. A new Cotes du Rhone-Village was granted in 2016, Saint Cécile for 100% red wines. Comprising around 1,300 hectares, the village is located due west of Cairanne on the north side of the town of Orange. The new village features […]
Olivier Dumaine ‘La Croix de Verre’ Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2018
14% abv, Larnage, Drome, imported by Chloe Wines, Seattle, WA. I admire the sheer uniqueness of the white wines of the Northern Rhône. Whereas Viognier may be the shining star of this region, the wines from Roussanne and Marsanne are wines for meditation, often producing otherworldly scents and flavors exotic to what we conventionally expect […]
Ogier Lirac ‘Lou Caminé’ 2018
14.5% abv, Lou Caminé, Vaucluse, imported by Esprit du Vin, Boca Raton, FL. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: fruit day. Lirac can be the secret weapon on a Southern Rhône wine lover, Châteauneuf on a Côte du Rhône-Villages budget if you will. Here you’ll find a combination of historic notoriety of great wines, a fine terroir […]
Mathilde Chapoutier Duché d’Uzès Blanc 2018
13.5% abv, Famille Chapoutier, Tain, imported by Saranty Imports, Stamford, CT. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: fruit day. It’s hard to think of a Rhône Valley wine appellation as anonymous or undiscovered as Duché d’Uzès. Located in the Southern Rhône proper, Duché d’Uzès was promoted from a Vin de Pays (or IGP) region to full […]