2019 Yves Cuilleron, ‘Bonnivières’ Côte-Rôtie, Rhône Valley, France

Producer: A family estate for 3 generations, founded by grandfather Claude in 1920. Yves Cuilleron trained as an engineer before taking over operations in 1987, growing the estate holdings from 3.5 to over 90 hectares, with prime, old vine parcels in multiple appellations in the northern Rhone, including Condrieu, Saint Joseph, Côte Rôtie & Saint Péray & a series of Vin de Pays from the Collines Rhôdaniennes. Starting in 2015 he began bottling individual lieux-dits. He is very precise & rigorous in style, striving for harmony & balance, straddling the line between traditional & modern, always expressing a sense of place.

Place: The Domaine is located in Verlieux, in the commune of Chavaney, just south of Condrieu, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This bottling is from the esteemed Northern Rhône appellation of Côte-Rôtie ‘Roasted Slope’ named so due to the amount of sunlight on these steep slopes lying on the west bank of the Rhône River.

Cultivation: Eco-friendly, organic practices, in conversion to organic certification.

Varietal: Syrah

Bottling:  Grapes are from Bonnivières, a higher elevation, east facing parcel on the Côte Brune side of the Côte Rôtie appellation.

Soil: Mica, schist

Winemaking: Partially destemmed, 3 weeks maceration, aged in barriques for 18 months.

Tasting Notes: Elegant & Powerful – Smokey Minerals – Cassis – Plum – Spicy Wild Herbs