Natural Wine from the Rhône
The Rhône vineyard covers more than 70,000 ha, over a length of almost 200 km, along the eponymous river. From the city of Vienne to the Lubéron, with a gap at Montélimar which divides this vineyard into two parts: the Northern Rhône to the north and the Southern Rhône to the south.
To the north we can observe a vineyard of great slope, with steep slopes which extend into gentle slopes and transform into terraces, a much more optimal configuration for working the vines. Here the soils are clayey, stony or granite (granite soil resulting from the activity of the Massif Central more than 300 million years ago). To the South, we find large areas of scrubland where vines coexist with fields of lavender, truffle oaks and other olive crops. The terroir is then composed of clayey, stony, limestone and/or sandy soils.
Thus, the Northern Rhône will offer us wine profiles that are fresher, more tense than those of the Southern Rhône where we will be able to find sunnier, warmer wines…
A large region producing red wines, we find in this vineyard the holy trinity of Rhone grape varieties, the famous GSM: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre.
With Grenache, a grape variety adaptable to many different terroirs, deliciousness, roundness and its aromatic fullness. The natural wine vintage “Poignée de Raisins” from Michèle Aubery-Laurent, Domaine Gramenon, is a perfect illustration of this!
With Syrah, its spice, its tannins and its structure, nothing beats tasting the Côtes Rôties vintages of Jean-Michel Stephan, another big name in the region's natural wines. The Croze-Hermitage appellation vintage from René-Jean Dard, famous half of the Dard and Ribo duo, well known to lovers of natural wines, is not to be outdone.
With Mourvèdre, a dyeing grape variety if ever there was one, its character and complexity. Can also be added, among others, the Cinsault and other Carignan in the grape varieties of this region... The Houillon estate offers us for example a vintage of 100% Carignan natural wine simply named Bacchus, to put in the hands of all lovers of living wines.
In their white version, the wines of the Rhône valley will, this time, be represented by another trilogy, composed of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier (to which can of course be added Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Maccabeu, or even Bourboulenc for example…). Marsanne and Roussanne, both grape varieties of medium acidity, will offer us ample and supple wine profiles with aromas of fruit and/or white flowers, sometimes with a saline and sapid finish. Just like Viognier which will find one of the most beautiful expressions on the terroir of the Condrieu appellation.
Jean-Michel Stephan, with his cuvée Le Grand Blanc, offers us a blend of these three main white grape varieties, vinified in a natural way. But if you want to be tempted by single varietal versions, don't hesitate to turn to the natural wine vintages of Romain le Bars. Former student of Eric Pfifferling, estate of Anglore, he offers us a pet nat' (natural sparkling) in 100% Roussanne, particularly flattering for this grape variety.
Thibaud Capellaro for his part rewarded us with a vintage of natural wine in 100% Viognier with the vintage Le Temps d'une Bise, gourmet attack and saline finish, everything is there! And finally, how can we not talk about Nicolas Renaud from Clos des Grillons, and his Grillons Blancs cuvée where the Grenache Blanc, vinified in a natural way, perfectly illustrates the grace of this grape variety as well as its terroir.
To discover a wider selection of natural Rhône wines, visit Vinograf.
