Another day along the Saône and Rhône corridor. This time
moving south from Lyon and spending a day and a half seeing the grand vineyards
of the Northern Rhône Valley. The early April Tuesday morning was cold and
rainy, and getting out of Lyon was a bear, but we finally made it to Ampuis and
the center of Côte-Rôtie.
Agnes Levet and Justin in La Chavaroche, in Côte-Brune
Our first destination was a storefront under-construction
along the main drag through town, which houses Vignobles Levet (a.k.a. Domaine Bernard Levet). Inside was a small reception/tasting room, moving behind into a
patchwork of rooms comprising the cellar, eventually leading below ground into
the barrel room. Behind the winery was a short walk up onto the slopes of Côte-Brune
in Côte Rôtie. We were greeted by Agnes Levet, the daughter of Bernard, who has
taken the helm of the domain.
Agnes Levet explaining the granite soils of Côte-Brune in Côte-Rotie
Levet began in 1929, and Agnes is its fourth generation of
vintners. They own just under 4 hectares of vineyards in Côte-Rôtie across 6
different plots, including old vines in Landonne and Chavaroche in Côte Brune,
and their Moulin plot in Côte Blonde just below La Turque. 55% of their vines
are 60 years or older. They primarily grow the Serine clone of Syrah. Farming
is a mix of organic and traditional farming practices. All of the vineyard
plots are either south, southeast or southwest in aspect. Soils in Côte Brune
are darker and primarily granite and clay, whereas in Côte Blonde they become
lighter due to higher amounts of sand and limestone, differentiating the two
slopes in the styles of wines they produce.
Walking in La Chavaroche
Melissa in La Chavaroche
Levet is known for very traditionally-styled and long-lived Côte-Rôtie-
dark and primal, with layers of complexity and sophistication. Fermentation
uses whole-clusters, and wines are aged for two to three years starting in
large oak casks, eventually racking down demi-muids and smaller French oak
barrels, with minimal new oak. The wines are bottled lightly fined and
unfiltered.
Biodynamically-farmed plots in Côte-Brune
The rain broke for a spell, and Agnes asked if we would be
interested in seeing the vineyard. We walked into the Chavaroche vineyard, and
Agnes explained their farming techniques during bud-break, as well as the soil
differences in Côte Brune compared to Côte Blonde.
Concrete fermenters at Vignobles Levet
The barrel room at Levet
In the tasting room, we sampled a pair of 2013’s. The 2013
Amethyste is 100% Syrah coming from their various vineyard sites. It displays
notes of mesquite smoke, dried violets & herbs, sous-bois and blackcurrant;
with medium weight, elegance and brightness on the palate; and further depth of
minerality and earth before finishing with polished tannins. The 2013 Les
Peroline (labeled as La Chavaroche for import to the US) comes from 40 year-old
vines in the Chavaroche vineyard. It shows notes of barbecued meats, flowers,
blackberry remoulade and iron, with big density, complexity, and structure on
the palate; finishing with fine tannins and primary black fruit &
minerality. I loved this one… Definitely one for the cellar.
View of Ampuis from Côte-Brune
The duration of our visit with Levet shortened our tasting
at Domaine Georges Vernay. Vernay is an esteemed producer of Condrieu,
producing some of the most profound expressions of Viognier anywhere in the
world. Christine Vernay, the third generation, makes the wines today. The
domaine is credited helping to reinvigorate the Condrieu appellation, whose
Viognier was nearly extinct just several decades ago.
The first of two wines tasted was the flagship Condrieu –
2014 Condrieu Coteau de Vernon. This comes from 2 hectares of
south/southeast-facing terraced vineyards in the heart of the appellation, with
vine age between 50 and 80 years, and farmed with organic methods. The wine is
barrel fermented and aged 25% new French oak barrels on the lees with regular
battonage. The wine showed nuanced and profound aromas of butterscotch,
florals, orange zest and bright minerality. Huge and intense on the palate,
lifted with brightness, great expression and balance. Definitely a ‘wow’
factor.
We also tasted their flagship Côte-Rôtie – 2013 Côte-Rôtie
Maison Rouge. It comes from 2 hectares in the south of the appellation within
the ‘Maison Rouge’ plot, in the sandy granite soils of Côte Blonde. The wine is
vinified de-stemmed and aged in 30% new French oak barrels. Almost the polar
opposite of the Levet wines, this was sleek, stylized and done in a modern
style. Showing nuanced aromas of smoke, meat, cassis and florals; with a silky
& rich palate of cassis, tea, violets, white pepper and minerality. Dense,
rich and polished. Very nice, but not quite as exotic as what I might look for
in Côte-Rôtie.
In the cellars at Voge
The rain returned in Cornas, so our tour at Domaine AlainVoge was confined to the cellars. Extending back several generations, Alain
Voge took the helm at his family domain in 1958, deciding to specialize in
wine, then redeveloping vineyards in the Cornas and Saint-Peray appellation
which had been dormant for decades prior. A top-echelon producer in Cornas today,
Voge is operated by partner Alberic Mazoyer, who biodynamically farms 10+
hectares of Syrah and Marsanne in the Cornas, Saint-Joseph, and Saint-Peray
appellations. The cellar is located in the center of the village, in a series
of compact spaces- tightly packed fermentation tanks leading to a labyrinth of
underground barrel rooms. A very workman-like space.
We met with Assistant Winemaker Lionel Fraisse, and tasted
through the full range of Voge’s available 2014 & 2015 Saint-Péray whites,
and 2013 Saint-Joseph and Cornas reds. The Marsanne whites come from granite
and calcareous soils in Saint-Péray, with fermentation and aging on lees in
tank or in cask, depending on the wine, with full malolactic conversion. They
impress with their elegance. There is also a traditional-method sparking Saint
Péray produced. The Syrah comes from decomposed granite soils along the steep
hillsides in Cornas on the right bank of the Rhône, and also from the southern
portion of Saint-Joseph, also on the right bank and near Cornas. Fermentation
is temperature controlled in stainless steel, grapes are completely or
partially destemmed, with daily pigeage and pump-over prior to pressing, and
extended aging in French oak casks, with the percentage of new oak varying depending
on the wine. Stylistically these are very brooding and complex wines, true to
the nature of Cornas, but tempered just a bit in a way that makes them somewhat
approachable young.
The 2014 Saint Péray bottlings showed a common thread of silky
textures and subtle elegance, with both the 2014 Saint-Péray Terres Boisees and
the 2014 Saint-Péray Fleur de Crussol standing out. The 2014 Fleur de Crussol
showing layered expression and outstanding depth, highlighting notes of stone
fruit, honeysuckle bloom, turned earth, baking spice and minerality, along a
silky texture. The 2013 reds showed big structure with massive savory and
mineral notes- smoked meats, iron, smoke; along with bright dark fruits. The
2013 Saint-Joseph Les Vinsonnes highlighted with nice complexity- iron, meat,
spices, crushed stone & mulberry; adding bright primary fruit, flowers and
mineral notes on the palate; closing with nice density and richness. The 2013
Cornas Vieilles Vignes, always a top wine from Voge, benefitted from receiving
fruit normally bound to the Les Vieilles Fontaines (which wasn’t bottled in
2013). It showed aromas of mulberry, mesquite smoke, blueberry and iron; rich
and full on the palate, adding floral and mineral highlights accenting cassis fruit,
with savory dried herb and meat notes; finishing with polished structure and
full depth, though still tightly-wound. This was such a solid lineup of wines
from top to bottom.
Justin, Jon and I in Cornas
The next morning in Tain-l’Hermitage, a mix-up over another
appointment left us wondering around the corner to Domaine Ferraton, where Stéphane
took us in and showed outstanding hospitality with an impromptu cellar
tour and tasting. Ferraton was founded in 1946 by Jean Orrens Ferraton, growing
in vineyard holdings under his son Michel. In the late 1990’s, Michel
Chapoutier became an investor, and the domain vineyards were later converted to
organic and biodynamic farming. Today, Ferraton bottles domain wines from the Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, and Crozes-Hermitage, as well as a full
line of negociant wines from appellations throughout the Northern and Southern
Rhône.
Concrete fermenters at Ferraton
The barrel room at Ferraton
We tasted a full line of quality bottlings, highlighted by a
pair of Hermitage wines. The 2012 Ferraton Hermitage Blanc Les Miaux is 100%
Marsanne grown in the decomposed granite soils over clay and limestone
subsoils. Barrel fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts, with aging of
10-12 months. It showed very nice complexity on the nose, with aromas of honey,
flowers, melted stone and citrus zest; with full density and structure on the
palate, and lots of layered savory & spice flavors, along with good depth.
The 2011 Domaine Ferraton Ermitage Le Méal comes from 30 year-old vines in
pebbly soil along the south facing hillside of the Méal. The Syrah grapes are
destemmed, with fermentation in concrete with daily pump-overs and punch downs.
Barrel aging is 14-18 months, with 30-50% new French oak barrels. The wine
shows classic brooding and deep Hermitage Syrah- aromas of blood sausage, iron,
violets, and black cherry; along with a silky and rich palate of black tea,
olive, black fruits, meats and dark herbs; and huge structure.
Above Tournon overlooking Tain & The Hill of Hermitage
The sunny day in Tain & Tournon finished with a walk to the slopes across the Rhône above Tournon, passing along vineyards in
the Saint-Joseph appellation. Then we took a short walk back across the river,
and up onto the hill of Hermitage, for a farewell to the amazing wines and
scenery of the Northern Rhône Valley.
Looking up at Le Meal in Hermitage
Looking up at La Chappelle in Hermitage
Click here for notes on all wines tasted.
Additional Resources:
Great overview of the Northern Rhône from Jancis Robinson.
James Molesworth discussing the Serine Clone of Syrah.
Another good overview of the Northern Rhone with map at Wine Folly.
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