Côtes du Rhône & VDP
Is there anything more satisfying that a great glass of Côtes du Rhône, red, white, or rosé? 'Simple’ Côtes du Rhône is the calling card of many of our Rhône producers and these wines offer astonishing value everyday drinking.
Where some producers have plots of grapes that are not permitted in the appellation (Merlot for Elodie Balme, for example) a simple Vin de Pays or Vin de France can be produced, again providing some excellent value.
Domaine de la Vieille Julienne
Under the guidance of Jean-Paul Daumen, this estate on the very northern borders of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation is now considered to be one of the leading domaines. One of the first estates to convert to biodynamic practises when Jean-Paul took over from his father in 1990, the 22 hectares of vineyards are nearly all north facing, giving relieve from the hot summer days and lending the wines the all-important freshness. Attention to detail is everything here, with some very old plots of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault & Carignan and a wine making style more at home in Burgundy, it is clear to see why it is held in such high regard by journalists, Rhône enthusiasts, sommeliers and restaurateurs around the world.
Trois Sources is from sand-based vineyards on the lower banks of the estate and are the more approachable when young, whilst the Les Hauts Lieux come from the limestone dominated higher vineyards on the northern boundary of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and need more time to come around. In great years a Reserve wine is made in miniscule quantities from ancient Grenache vineyards. This is our second vintage we've offered from Vieille Julienne, and our excitement to be working with and shipping from this excellent domaine is ever growing; these are deeply coloured, pure and aromatic but with incredible freshness - you can buy these confident that they will richly reward patience over the next 8-15 years. They also produce an utterly brilliant Côtes du Rhône called Lieu-dit Clavin, possible the best value Côtes du Rhône in the entire Rhône Valley.
2023 CÔTES DU RHÔNE Lieu-Dit Clavin Blanc Domaine de la Vieille Julienne
2023 Cotes du Rhone Lieu dit Clavin 13.5% 30% Clairette 30 % Grenache with the balance Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussane & Viognier Very light, in colour, bright citrus notes, lime & jasmine, floral2023 Cotes du Rhone Lieu dit Clavin 13.5% 30% Clairette 30 % Grenache with the balance Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussane & Viognier Very light, in colour, bright citrus notes, lime & jasmine, floral notes, a touch of lanolin with summer herbs, floral and bright, more tension and crystalline, fermented in SS and then straight to bottle, then aged for 1 year for release, really delicious & so under the radar and underrated tooL&S (Oct 2024)
In Bond
Domaine la Bouïssière
Thierry and Gilles Faravel's Domaine la Bouïssière in Gigondas is exceptional in many ways, apart from the personality of Thierry himself, it is the site of the vineyard, high up under the 'Dentelles de Montmirail' which makes the defining difference.
In contrast to the vines being baked on the plains of stones at the foot of the hill, the Bouïssière vines benefit from cooling air at night falling from the high peaks, and the wines retain a freshness and subtle persistence which is very different to the sometimes bludgeoning broadness and alcoholic heat of the wines on the plain.
Gilles and Thierry Faravel employ non-interventionalist practices to make wines as naturally as possible, resulting in wines of immense concentration and depth, with true vibrancy and the capacity to age for ten to fifteen years.
Thierry Faravel on the 2023 vintage:
“Vintage of great aromatic finesse, fruits, ripe, sweet spices. The palate reveals a beautiful length and suavity black fruit Fine tannins Silky and fresh palate. We’re seeing wines of delicacy and finesse.”
Domaine Les Deux Cols
There's a very good introduction to this domaine "Les Deux Cols: Two and a half Irishmen - How a group of three Dublin-based wine lovers started a rising-star Rhône vineyard."by Raymond Blake in the World of Fine Wine, but briefly, this is a story of three friends from Ireland (OK, one from France via Ireland), deciding to pursue their dream of making wine in the Rhône..
Although described now as up 'and coming', this is a bit like overnight success in the music business - coming after many years of hard graft. Charles Derain and Simon Tyrrell, joined by Gerard Maguire five years later, kicked this off in 2012, but even that was after Simon had done his vineyard management and winemaking course at Plumpton. They began by buying grapes and making their wines in a small corner of the enormous co-op at Estézargues, and admit that it was all fairly primitive.
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By 2016, with a much better understanding of the geography and the different terroirs, they began looking for vineyards in this northerly corner of the Gard, where, they were convinced, they would be able to make the wines they wanted to produce. As it seems with everything else, the holdings were put together the hard way, not buying an existing domaine, but small parcels of vines that they judged to be exactly right for them. It took until the beginning of 2020 to reach the current 12 hectares.
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The vineyards are closed in by woodland to the south, east and west, but open to the Mistral from the north, which helps to cool and dry the vines. The estate is farmed organically and all the grapes are hand-harvested.
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After much eating of grapes to determine the balance of acidity, sweetness and maturity of tannins, the bunches are picked into 13kg boxes and transported to the winery. Some parcels may need to be picked more than once to get all the bunches to the same level of ripeness. Decisions as to whether to destem or not, crush or not are taken on the merits of each vintage. Fermentation is in stainless steel, with temperatures generally kept quite low to preserve the fresh fruit aromas. The maceration is usually quite short, the wine then being kept in tank or transferred to barrels (some 225l and some larger) for élevage.
Domaine de Cristia
Based around Courthezon and taking the name from the lieu dit 'Cristia', Domaine de Cristia was established by Etienne Grangeon in the early 1950s with just two hectares of Grenache. His son Alain joined the domaine in the 1960s. It was Alain who slowly started to increase the vineyard holdings and plant Syrah & Mourvèdre to complement the Grenache that makes up the majority of the estate.
Today the estate is in the very capable hands of Etienne's grandchildren, Baptiste, Dominique and Florent, who joined in 1999. They have nearly 19 hectares based mainly in the sandy soils around Courthezon. All the vineyards have been certified since 2008, with a biodynamic approach also being followed.
The vineyards are mainly northeast facing so benefit from not getting too much hot sun during the early part of the day, with the sandy soils lending freshness and elegance that is the hallmark of their cuvées.
Baptiste on the 2023 vintage:
“one of those dream vintages, as we got quantities and quality, with a perfect ripeness and healthy shape. Rich but not over concentrated, candy flavours, pale colour and great aromas!”
Domaine de la Mordorée
Started in 1986 by the Delorme family, Domaine de la Mordorée has become one of the top estates in the Rhône, with arguably the most consistent quality. The word 'Mordorée', literally 'bronze' or 'golden-brown' is one of the many poetic names for a woodcock, the symbol of the domaine. Other such names include the cuvée names - 'La Belle Voyageuse' (the beautiful traveller), and 'La Dame Rousse' (the russet lady). Founding winemaker Christophe Delorme's objective was to be unintrusive and maintain total respect for his terroir and the fruit it produces, striving to achieve a perfect balance between concentration, terroir and balance.
The domaine consists of 55 Hectares, on 38 different parcels, providing a rich, wide range of soils and micro-climates. The whole domaine has been certified organic since 2007.
Following Christophe's untimely death in 2015, his wife and daughter, Madeleine and Ambre, have taken on the running of the domaine, ably assisted by Rémy Chauvet, who was the cellarmaster under Christophe. As Jeb Dunnuck has put it in the Wine Advocate, 'the estate is obviously still in incredibly capable hands'.
Ambre Delorme on the 2023 vintage:
“The wines are generous, bright and bursting with fruit. The rosés and whites are exceptionally elegant, fresh and incredibly aromatic. The reds are smooth, fruity and perfectly balanced with lovely tannins. These exceptionally pure and delicate wines are delectable in their youth yet capable of evolving beautifully for many years to come.”
Domaine des Escaravailles
Domaines des Escaravailles was established in 1953 by Jean-Louis Ferran and his two sons, Daniel and Jean-Pierre, in the village of Rasteau.
Today it is run by the third generation of the family, Gilles, the son of Daniel. With vineyards on not only the clay, limestone hillsides of Rasteau, but also in Cairanne, Roaix, Villedieu and St Roman de Malegarde. The estate is run organically and everything is done by hand with the wines made in the cellars in the heart of the property in Rasteau.
The estate takes it's name from the Occitan word for the Scarab Beetle, which you will also find adorning the labels of the wines.
Madeline Ferran on the 2023 vintage:
“So the 2023 vintage, despite a difficult start to the season, has surprised us in many ways. The whites and rosés have retained the freshness and minerality characteristic of our terroirs, while the reds are bright, deep and complex. Another vintage to have in your cellar…”
Domaine Les Deux Cols
There's a very good introduction to this domaine "Les Deux Cols: Two and a half Irishmen - How a group of three Dublin-based wine lovers started a rising-star Rhône vineyard."by Raymond Blake in the World of Fine Wine, but briefly, this is a story of three friends from Ireland (OK, one from France via Ireland), deciding to pursue their dream of making wine in the Rhône..
Although described now as up 'and coming', this is a bit like overnight success in the music business - coming after many years of hard graft. Charles Derain and Simon Tyrrell, joined by Gerard Maguire five years later, kicked this off in 2012, but even that was after Simon had done his vineyard management and winemaking course at Plumpton. They began by buying grapes and making their wines in a small corner of the enormous co-op at Estézargues, and admit that it was all fairly primitive.
.
By 2016, with a much better understanding of the geography and the different terroirs, they began looking for vineyards in this northerly corner of the Gard, where, they were convinced, they would be able to make the wines they wanted to produce. As it seems with everything else, the holdings were put together the hard way, not buying an existing domaine, but small parcels of vines that they judged to be exactly right for them. It took until the beginning of 2020 to reach the current 12 hectares.
.
The vineyards are closed in by woodland to the south, east and west, but open to the Mistral from the north, which helps to cool and dry the vines. The estate is farmed organically and all the grapes are hand-harvested.
.
After much eating of grapes to determine the balance of acidity, sweetness and maturity of tannins, the bunches are picked into 13kg boxes and transported to the winery. Some parcels may need to be picked more than once to get all the bunches to the same level of ripeness. Decisions as to whether to destem or not, crush or not are taken on the merits of each vintage. Fermentation is in stainless steel, with temperatures generally kept quite low to preserve the fresh fruit aromas. The maceration is usually quite short, the wine then being kept in tank or transferred to barrels (some 225l and some larger) for élevage.
Domaine Élodie Balme
The rise of Domaine Elodie Balme is a story that is becoming increasingly familiar, and not only in the Rhône valley. A small family-owned vineyard that grows fruit and used to sell the harvest to the local cave cooperative is taken over by a more adventurous, commercially minded and less risk adverse child, who decides to leave the financial safety blanket that the cooperative provides. Striving to make a name for themselves, creating a label and a following that will lead to proud parents congratulating themselves for the wise decision to take the risk and pass on the family estate to the care of their sons and daughters.
This is certainly a story that has reaped rewards with Domaine Elodie Balme in the Southern Rhône appellation of Rasteau.
Grenache is the key player in these parts along with the usual suspects Mourvèdre and Syrah, although this variety is playing less of a role with each passing vintage. Elodie has a slightly new approach that marks her wines out against a lot of very good domaines. She has a very particular 'fruit forward' style, with emphasis very much on the freshness of the wine. A quick walk around the vineyards surrounding the estate and you can see why, some lovely blue marl which is excellent for water retention and therefore helping grapes reach full maturity in a hot environment, all the 28 hectares are farmed organically and have a beautiful aspect looking south toward the Dentelles de Montmirail that dominates the skyline.
The winemaking is kept very simple. Why complicate things when you have such great source material, such beautifully ripe grapes? Fermentation takes place in concrete with a little of the wine aged in old barrels and small foudres. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to walk around a winery and not have the winemaker gush enthusiastically about the 'barrel room' where the wines are aged. I counted maybe 8 barrels, increasingly this is becoming the norm in the southern Rhône as winemakers seek balance and freshness and age wines mostly in tank to help preserve this.
Élodie has been highlighted by respected wine journalist Matt Walls as 'one of the rising stars of the appellation' Whether you like the Vin de France, a wine with a splash of Merlot to give it body, or the Rasteau, a delicious drop of Grenache-infused Rhône delight, or the more serious Roaix (the neighbouring appellation) with a touch more spice, you can rest assured these are some of the finest wines being made in Rasteau and the southern Rhône and extremely good value.
Rasteau is one of the modern success stories of newly elevated 'village' that has attained Cru status and has not looked back since gaining elevation in 2010, but success can only really be judged by the public awareness and recognition of the names backed up in no small part by sales, something that thankfully Rasteau has managed to achieve in little more than a decade. Roaix may be less well-known, but the wine is well worth discovering.
