Images of Crozes-Hermitage
July 3, 2020
Standing in one vineyard, looking up at another - the southern part of Crozes-Hermitage is a series of alluvial terraces Classic pebbly alluvial soils of the southern part of Crozes-Hermitage David Reynaud (taken 2013) Gaylord Machon Emmanuel Darnaud (taken 2015) Alain Graillot (taken 2014) To the north of Hermitage, the terroir is very different,…
Images of Brézème and Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban
June 19, 2020
Officially these are AOC Côtes-du-Rhône vineyard areas, but use of the names either Brézème or Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban are tolerated on labels. Looking south-east over the gently sloping clay limestone vineyards of Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban on the west bank of the Rhône Looking west along the foot of the limestone hill of Brézème on the east bank of the Rhône …
Images of Saint-Péray
June 5, 2020
Standing in the southern part of the appellation on granite vineyards, looking north-east towards the Rhône Looking east towards the Montagne de Crussol, a long ridge of limestone with the Rhône flowing behind it. An exceptional terroir, increasingly covered in housing rather than vineyards. Sandy granitic soils on flatter vineyards of Saint-Péray Fabrice Gripa of…
Images of Château-Grillet
May 8, 2020
Château-Grillet is the name of the producer, a property with its own appellation to the south-west of Condrieu. It's surrounded here by its vineyards. The oldest part of the building dates back to 1760 The property is comprised of several parts of different ages The vineyards, all Viognier, rise up in a vertiginous amphitheatre behind the property The upper…
Images of Saint-Joseph
April 24, 2020
The pin shows the centre of the appellation, which stretches from the south of Condrieu to beyond Saint-Péray Looking north from lieu-dit Le Paradis in the south of the appellation... The pyramid-shaped hillside to the left is lieu-dit Saint Joseph (which gives its name to the appellation). In the foreground, pruned canes are burnt in lieu-dit Les Oliviers. In the background is the hill…
Images of Condrieu
April 10, 2020
Rémi Niero in lieu-dit La Roncharde Lieu-dit La Roncharde looking south-west towards lieu-dit Côte Bonnette Tasting older vintages with Christine Vernay of Domaine Georges Vernay Lieu-dit Coteau de Vernon François Villard Once common, now rare - a sweet Condrieu, this one made by Xavier Gérard
Images of Seyssuel
April 10, 2020
Seyssuel is a little further north than Côte-Rôtie, on the other side of the river around the city of Vienne. It is currently within the IGP Collines Rhodaniennes growing area, but there are hopes to promote it quickly to a new Northern Rhône Cru. South-facing schist slopes with Vienne in the background Pierre Gaillard, part-owner of négociant Les Vins de Vienne A…
Images of Côte-Rôtie
March 27, 2020
Dark schist over pale gneiss in lieu-dit La Côte Brune Looking north-east: lieu-dit Fongeant is the central slope, that becomes lieu-dit La Côte Brune further down The east-facing slope of lieu-dit La Côte Brune Jean-Paul Jamet in front of his parcel of lieu-dit La Côte Brune Lieu-dit La Landonne faces the river on a very steep slope, Ampuis in the background…
Images of Gadagne
March 13, 2020
Classic galet roulé soils of Gadagne Xavier Anglès of Domaine du Bois de Saint Jean with a stone borne papale once used by the Avignon Popes to claim ownership of a vineyard The village's full name is Châteauneuf de Gadagne, but AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape (only 15km away) insisted only they should use the word 'Châteauneuf' on the label. Terroir is similar to…
Images of Rochegude
February 28, 2020
The Château de Rochegude in the heart of the village Sandy soils of Rochegude near the Massif d'Uchaux Domaine du Gourget Vincent Baumet with his old bushvines on Rochegude garrigues terroir, closer to Suze-la-Rousse Inside the Château de Rochegude