Postcards from Lyon

At the turn of the century, Kermit Lynch and Daniel Brunier (of Vieux Télégraphe) joined forces to revive one of the greatest, oldest winemaking properties of the Southern Rhône: Domaine Les Pallières. Their rosé is super juicy, with layers of fresh strawberry and raspberry, rose, and wet stone that roll in, sweep out, and roll in again like ocean waves.

Coming from a family of vignerons, Yann Bertrand is bringing a fresh take on the great wines of cru Beaujolais. He may be young, but with the guidance of the masters, he’s rising to the top of the  new generation of Beaujolais producers at lightning speed. 

When Kermit Lynch saw the centuries old Les Pallières property on the market, he teamed up with the renowned Brunier brothers to keep the legacy alive. The trio has brought the property back to life and already bottled incredible wines, such as this 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Clairette blend.

In 2018, David Chapel and Michel Smith of Domaine Chapel created the Smith-Chapel label to distinguish wines they make with organic fruit purchased in Beaujolais and nearby regions, as opposed to fruit they farm themselves. This bottling of Moulin-a-Vent is the first Beaujolais under the Smith-Chapel label. Since the beginning of their domaine in 2016, their wines have been quick to achieve cult status and this moulin a Vent will be no exception. 

There’s a darkness to the Syrah of the Northern Rhône that extends beyond its color. A rippling curtain that shades something ominous, but enticing. It starts with intoxicating black plum and blueberry aromas that waft above the surface and continues with white pepper, smoke, incense, and deep forest. You almost don’t see the gamey, animalistic flavors coming — this is supposed to be a story about fruit, right? But here, they’re tempting. When you drink this Syrah, you connect to something primal.

The winemaking lions of the Northern Rhône have spent decades, centuries even, perfecting their craft. Passing vineyards down from parent to child. But there’s a new name ringing out through these craggy vineyards, and it’s Aurelien Chatagnier.

Aurelien set out at the age of 20 to make great wine on the insanely steep hills around the town of Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf. Now in his 40s, he’s succeeded.

A sybarite is a hedonist. A sensualist. But also a gourmand. Someone whose thirst for the finest is insatiable — although this Saint Joseph just might quench it. A blend of Syrah from four different communes where Aurelien has developed or rehabilitated vineyards, it’s powerful, elegant, and brambly. It starts out with a wash of red fruit on the nose, followed by purple flowers, freshly sharpened pencils, worn leather, and fruit leather. This is a fresh, light-on-its-feet rendition of Syrah that’s ready to drink right now.

Protégé of the venerable Robert Michel, Guillaume Gilles is making a name for himself in Cornas. He’s crafting decidedly classic Cornas (no de-stemming, aging in old demi-muids & no fining or filtering). The Le Rieux vineyard at 450 meters produces incredibly fresh and bright fruit layered with spice.