Description
“Yves Cuilleron is a superstar of the Northern Rhône” thewinedoctor.com
In 1987 Yves took over his family wine estate (after 4 generations) located in Verlieu (in the town of Chavanay) and since that time he has built an entirely new winery. He has acquired additional vineyards (domaine is now 52 hectares) that cover appellations, including Saint Joseph, Cote Rotie, Cornas, Condrieu, Saint Péray and a series of Vin de Pays from the Collines Rhodaniennes.
His philosophy in the vineyard is simple and very much a sustainable approach, no insecticides/pesticides only organic ones, majority is high density planted (competition between vines enhances fruit quality), handpicked fruit (much of vineyard is on terraces). Similarly in the winery a natural approach: wild yeasts, no additions, open fermenters (temperature controlled), maturation in french oak barriques and foudres (his wines are more about purity of fruit and he goes easy on the oak).
While most of France’s major wine regions struggled in 2012, the Rhône stands apart, in particular the North. Jeb Dunnuck from the Wine Advocate says about 2012 … “the wines have excellent ripeness and more mid-palate depth and more concentration than the 2011s … fantastic purity of fruit, good to moderate acid levels and a roundness and suppleness that will allow them to drink nicely on release, yet also age gracefully.”
RRP: $66
