Côte-Rôtie
Yves Cuilleron
(Photographs: © Copyright Per Karlsson, BKWine.com)
Along
with his greatly increased St Joseph and Condrieu vineyard, Yves Cuilleron has
built his presence in Côte Rôtie. He works 5 ha, and makes two wines – Terres
Sombres, pure Syrah from the northern schist of the appellation; and Bassenon,
including 10 percent Viognier. from the southern, crumbled granite areas of
Semons.
His
precise holdings are 1 ha on Bassenon, official name Coteaux de Semons (most
1989-90, plus some 1965); 1 ha on Rochains, next to Landonne (late 1980s, a
little 1974); 0.43 ha on Rozier (mid-1990s); and a spread across Viallière,
Mornachon, Le Plomb, Bonnivière, Janet, Grand Taillis, and Gerine. These have
mostly been planted from the 1990s onwards, so the essence of his wine comes
from mainly young vineyards.
Terres
Sombres is largely from Rochains, plus Viallière and Rozier. These three
complement each other well; Rochains is the open side of the equation, the other
two more solid, Rozier the more elegant of them. Bassenon is from Coteaux de
Semons and is therefore less long lived. The two wines are vinified in open
steel vats that allow pigeage and remontage over three to four weeks. Yves only
destalks if necessary, since he likes wines that are robust and capable of long
life.
The
malolactic fermentation is done in cask; both wines are aged for 18 to 20
months, Terres Sombres entirely in new oak, Bassenon in half new, half one-year
oak. They are fined, but not filtered.
Bassenon seems to struggle with its oak overlay; given its more tender
natural style, that is not a complete surprise. Terres Sombres’ terroir means it
is more suited to the oak it receives
[followed by a series of tasting notes]
© Copyright John Livingstone-Learmont & University of California Press
Extract from the book:
The Wines of the Northern Rhône Valley
by John Livingstone-Learmont
University of California Press
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