Hameau Toucheboeuf

Hameau Touchebœuf: Simon Gastrein brings a different vibe to the Northern Rhône

Bessey, Pilat, and peasant instinct

Based in Bessey, south of Condrieu, Simon Gastrein established Hameau Touchebœuf in 2017 on the steep slopes of the Pilat Natural Park, where the Rhône Valley meets wilder, wooded landscapes. The estate is named after the family hamlet where Simon took over his grandfather's house and cellars, a place that has become both a winery, cellar, and the nerve center of the project.

Before viticulture, Simon worked in cuisine and then traveled for several months in Latin America, an experience that profoundly shaped his relationship with taste. Upon returning to the Northern Rhône, he trained for several years with André Perret in Chavanay before leasing his first plots in 2013.

Living hillsides and unpretentious wines

The estate now covers approximately 5 hectares, cultivated without pesticides or herbicides, with vines entirely worked by hand on clay and granite soils. Simon works with Syrah as well as Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, and even some rarer grape varieties like Cugnette.

The winemaking follows the same intuitive logic: spontaneous fermentations, minimal intervention, aging adapted to each cuvée, and true freedom in blending and choice of vessels. Some cuvées remain Vin de France, others claim appellations like Condrieu or Saint-Joseph, always with the desire to let the vintage speak rather than a fixed style.

Free, fresh, and profoundly human Northern Rhône wines

The wines from Hameau Touchebœuf are distinguished by their simultaneous generosity and vibrancy: taut yet sunny whites, fresh reds often marked by a beautiful vegetal energy, and aging processes that seek balance rather than power.

A very personal interpretation of the Northern Rhône, instinctive and unadorned, driven by a true sensitivity of taste and a deep attachment to the place.