Category: Northern Rhone

Just beneath the ancient city of Lyon, the Rhône River does a rakehell turn westward, then at Vienne, another turn toward the east before again heading south. That’s where you stumble upon the first vines of the Northern Rhône, many planted on steep hillsides and most of them on the river’s right bank. Côte-Rôtie—the ‘Roasted Slope’—is the northernmost appellation within the Rhône Valley and renowned for these terraced, river-hugging vineyards. Syrah reigns in Côte-Rôtie, but not supreme: Appellation rules allow for the addition of up to 20% Viognier, adding to the wine’s characteristic aroma of flowers and leather. Viognier’s true kingdom is just below Côte-Rôtie, in Condrieu—a winding nine-mile stretch of vineyards—where this aromatic, peach-scented white wine is produced in Lilliputian quantities to Brobdingnagian applause. Further south, Syrah regains its foothold: Although the sprawling mega-appellation of Saint-Joseph may, like Côte-Rôtie, blend white varietals into their red wine, and white Hermitage, white Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Péray are all made from Marsanne/Roussanne, the vast majority of Northern Rhône is given over to the production of Syrah. This may range from tiny, under-appreciated Cornas to elevated, perhaps over-appreciated Hermitage. Below Northern Rhône is a different wine world entirely; Southern Rhône is warmer and flatter and employs multiple varietals to create wines essentially unlike those of their northern neighbors.

Of more than passing note (driven in part by its affordability) is the Collines Rhodaniennes IGP which encompasses all of Northern Rhône, but represents country wines built not on tradition or AOC (relabeled AOP ‘Appellation d’Origine Protégée’ by the European Union) rules, but rely solely on geographical origin. Thus, IGP wines (Indication Géographique Protégée) afford winemakers considerably more freedom to experiment, and often represent remarkable values from historical, ever-improving sites.

The six-bottle package contains one bottle of each of Yves Cuilleron’s featured wines. The offer, comprising four red and two white wines, is for $299 and all included.

Domaine Yves Cuilleron

Wine has been grown in Northern Rhône for millennia; to it, the Cuilleron family has been lending their spirited interpretation for many generations. Founded in 1920 in the heart of Saint-Joseph, the family has been producing commercial wine since 1947, with the current owner Yves taking the helm in 1987. He expanded the domaine’s holding to 130 acres, incorporating vineyards in Condrieu, Saint Joseph Rouge and Blanc, Cote Rôtie and Saint Péray.

“The majority of our vineyards are set on terraces, making mechanization nearly impossible,” Yves maintains. “Thus, as has been done here for thousands of years, much of the vineyard work is to be done by hand. To control yields, we do extensive de-budding and, when necessary, practice ‘green harvests’ by removing extra grape bunches and balancing leaf area and fruit weight to achieve better ripeness.”

Côte-Rôtie

Northern Rhône’s ‘roasted slope’ is actually a series of sun-harvesting slopes that rise a thousand feet above the Rhône and surround the small town of Ampuis. Despite producing what is arguably the ‘ultimate’ Syrah, the classic black-fruit and bacon aromatics of Côte-Rôtie are often enhanced with the addition of Viognier. Named for the stream that flows at the base of Domaine Yves Cuilleron’s Côte-Rôtie ten acres, “Madinière” 2017 Red ($69) is sweet and dense, showing notes of olive and spice and a savory, mineral-driven palate. Total Production: 1,550 cases.

Cornas

No Viognier is permitted in Cornas; this wine is Syrah in its most honest profile. Consisting of a mere 270 acres on the western bank of the Rhône just south of the Saint-Joseph appellation, the granite in the subsoil of Cornas retains heat while providing rapid drainage, forcing the vines to form deep root systems. “Le Village” 2017 Red ($53)originates in three plots behind the Cornas village church (in the districts of Les Côtes and Reynard), and provides a wine with an electric core of acidity and a foreground taut with raspberry and plum along with toasted, cedary, smoky tannin. Total Production: 66 cases.

Saint-Joseph

Saint-Joseph covers a lot of territory and multiple terroirs; it encompasses 26 communes and stretches from Chavanay in the north to Châteaubourg in the south, roughly 30 miles in length. The reds from the region can be light for Rhônes, a result of soils containing less granite and vines that face east rather than south. But in strong vintages, they are spectacular. “Cavanos”2017 Red ($37) shows an inky, dark red color, and as this might suggest, it is fully fruit forward with smoke and spicy cherry notes, tobacco and burning leaves on the nose and medium-low tannins. Total Production: 2,383 cases.

Crozes-Hermitage

Crozes-Hermitage labors in the shadow of its storied namesake Hermitage, and has no pretentions of equality. Price reflects that, of course, and the wine itself does hold at least some measure of the magnificence found in its massive, long-lived neighbor. “Laya” 2017 Red ($32) is grown in 5 acres on the south of the Tain l’Hermitage commune on a plot called Malfondière. High-density planting (20,000 vines per acre) leads to an exceptional richness in the wine, complex but easy to drink. Blackberry and milk chocolate overlay licorice and black pepper with a bracing acidity, making it an ideal food wine. Total Production: 3,000 cases.

Condrieu

Condrieu is a unique slice of wine country, both in Northern Rhône and arguably, in the entire wine world. Contained within seven parishes, Condrieu’s unique soil chemistry (mixed chalk, flint and mica) produces Viognier of world-renowned distinction, heavily perfumed and full-bodied. Northerly winds traveling up the river keep yields notoriously low; it’s an expensive wine to produce, and as a result, not much is made—for every bottle of Condrieu released, there are ten of Crôzes-Hermitage. “Les Chaillets”2017 White ($69) is the local name for terraces, and Cuilleron’s Condrieu is grown on mica-rich, south-facing vineyards, and picked from the best and oldest vines. Like all fine Condrieus, it is rich to the point of unctuousness and shows a bouquet almost ferocious in intensity, showing ripe peach, melon and honeyed almond. Condrieu is an ideal wine for seafood, especially scallops. Total Production: 1,191 cases.

Collines Rhodaniennes IGP

Marsanne is a grape perfectly suited to St-Joseph’s heralded “Terroir de Granit”—it ripens fully in the appellation’s continental climate where it obtains its characteristic deep gold color. This IGP “Les Vignes d’à Côté – Marsanne” 2019 White ($22) offers subtle notes of roasted nuts, oranges, figs and pronounced lemon peel; it is quite floral on the nose and crisply acidic in the mouth and should be consumed young. Total Production: 2,500 cases.