Wine: Northern Rhone Aromatics

Leslie Williams praises the evocative and expressive wines of cult Rhone Valley winemaker, Yves Cuilleron.

It is difficult to visit the Northern Rhone Valley, and not come away with a sense of wonder at the vineyard landscape. Fragile terraces of vines cling to steep, steep hillsides whose names already carry resonance: Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Joseph.

Good examples of the (Syrah/Shiraz based) reds are densely fruited with a curious blend of animal, mineral and blackcurrant aromas with sweet dark fruit flavours. The powerfully aromatic whites (from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne) offer some of the most exotic, pungent flavours of any wine.

The great Mistral wind blows down through the Rhone Valley and is often of huge benefit to winemakers as it can help dry out a wet vintage or blow off fungal growths. On the vulnerable slopes it can also strip a vine bare or rip up a seedling so vines are staked firmly into the earth and planted in areas that give protection, behind bluffs or in sheltered bends of the river.

The difficulties involved in growing and tending vines on these steep slopes and the need to rebuild terraces on a regular basis, not to mention the difficulties in harvesting the grapes, ensure that the pleasures of these wines do not come cheap.

However if value is measured in terms of the lingering qualities of such wines (on the palate and on the mind) they are in fact very good value.

Yves Cuilleron makes such wines. Cuilleron inherited a few hectares of vineyard from an uncle in 1987 and initial fame came from his extraordinarily intense whites, particularly his Condrieu, and his reputation was cemented with densely fruited sinewy Côte Rôtie and even good value Vin de Pays (usually made from grapes he felt weren't quite good enough to make the blend for his more famous wines).

Cuilleron is extremely fussy about quality so quantities are always limited. You can always expect ripe grapes and well made wines, but the lingering impression is usually "so that is what this stuff is meant to taste like”.

His Condrieu has a honeyed rich complex nose with fine mineral qualities, surprising acidity, and amazing length. His white St. Josephs tend to be lighter in texture but with similarly intense aromas and lingering mineral qualities.

St. Joseph and Côte Rôtie reds have rich ripe black fruits but exhibit finesse and delicacy as well as lingering sweet fruit and herb flavours and a sureness of touch often missing in the wines from the larger Rhone houses.

A selection of Yves Cuilleron's wines are imported by Le Caveau in Kilkenny http://www.lecaveau.ie
and some others are imported by Kellys Hotel in Rosslare.

Coda:
The Rhone Valley begins south of Lyon and the first wine region you come to is the ancient vineyard of Seyssuel above Vienne on the east bank of the river (Côte Rôtie is further south on the west bank). Following the devastation of the vine disease phylloxera in the late 19th century, the vineyards were effectively abandoned.

Winemaker Pierre Gaillard first found reference to the vineyard in a 17th century text and came up with the notion of replanting the vineyard and along with François Villard and Yves Cuilleron the "Vins de Vienne” was formed in 1996. The slopes are south facing with schist soils (similar to Côte Rôtie) but warmer than most regions in the Northern Rhone.

The wine produced has been named Sotanum, the name of one of the three cru's around the area of Vienne in AD71, and is pure Syrah. A sample of the 2003 (due for release in a year or two) has wonderful mineral complexity and sweetness with soft black fruit flavours, chewy but relatively soft tannins and lingering touches of herbs in the finish.

Others in the region were quick to cotton on, and the larger houses such as Chapoutier have also begun experimenting in the area and more will follow.

The vines are still young and will take time to produce wines of the quality of the finest Côte Rôtie but the potential is immediately evident. Sold under the appellation Vin de Pays de Collines Rhodanniens they are likely to regain their cru status (in reputation if not in name) very quickly so keep your eyes peeled.