Wine Box Valle del Rodano

A journey through the most authentic expressions of Syrah from the Northern Rhône, exploring various appellations of the region. Artisan expressions, just the way we like them-some well-known, others less so-but all paying tribute to this magnificent and iconic French wine region.

This box contains:

- Crozes Hermitage Balthazar 2021: Franck Balthazar took over his family domaine, dating back to 1931, in 2002. His commitment to doing things the hard way in pursuit of excellence is a hallmark of his work. The vineyards are organic and plowed with a horse, while fermentations are carried out with whole clusters using native yeasts in concrete tanks. All wines are aged in old 600-liter demi-muids. Sulfur use is kept to a minimum, and all winemaking techniques are as natural as possible. Every fermentation is done with whole clusters. For his Crozes-Hermitage, the vines come from the terroirs of Chassis and Mercurol.

- Saint Joseph Domaine De La Sarbeche 2022: Domaine de la Sarbeche was born from the passion of Cyril Milochevitch, a young, talented, and determined vigneron. He cultivates 2 hectares of vineyards, free from chemical products, in Saint-Péray, along with a small parcel in Saint-Joseph. Starting in 2015, he has been expanding his vineyard on the plateau above Saint-Péray. In the cellar, Cyril is committed to low-intervention winemaking. Passionate about vines, nature, and conviviality, his estate is located in the heart of the Ardèche, not far from Valence. The geographical position and altitude create an ideal terroir for vineyards.

- Cornas Alain Voge Vielles Vignes 2021: The estate’s flagship label, managed biodynamically since 2016. This is the Domaine’s oldest cuvée, created in the 1970s to showcase the family’s historic vineyard. The vines for this cuvée are located in the heart of the appellation, facing the first replantings.Situated on hills at about 200 meters of altitude with a south/southeast exposure, the vines have an average age of 60 years. They are deeply rooted in highly decomposed ancient granite soils.

- Cornas Guillame Gilles 2021: although Guillaume Gilles was born in Lyon, from the age of eight, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Marcel Juge, a respected vigneron in Cornas. Today, Guillaume cultivates a total of 5 hectares, mostly in Cornas. His approach in the vineyard is impeccable-at just 30 years old, he works tirelessly to help his vines produce the best possible fruit. Everything is done by hand, and he has been certified organic since 2020. The soils are plowed using a mix of horse, tractor, trident plow, and winch. The vines are pruned to limit yields to 35hl. Fermentations are carried out with whole clusters, and his cellar approach remains non-invasive, relying on indigenous yeasts with no fining or filtration. Surprisingly approachable in their youth yet capable of aging beautifully, his wines showcase the true character of Cornas-classy bottlings with exceptional quality.

- Cote Rotie Jasmin Patrick: Jasmin works along the legendary terraces of Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône. Answering only to himself amidst these renowned vineyards, he is independent, with an insatiable thirst for adventure and risk. As the fourth generation to cultivate the family domaine-first alongside his father and grandfather, and now on his own-he remains deeply rooted in tradition. Patrick and his wife Arlette manage eleven parcels across eight lieux-dits. Because of this, everything at Domaine Jasmin is done by hand-except for the pigeage, which is still performed the old-fashioned way, by foot. Jasmin’s vineyards are co-planted with 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, the latter adding extraordinary floral aromas to this remarkable wine.

- Cote Rotie Thibaud Capellaro: Thibaud began his journey with studies in economics before following his passion for wine. He acquired 2 hectares of often-overlooked parcels, many of which were unplanted and not south-facing-considered less desirable by the older generation. However, with rising temperatures, Thibaud’s bold gamble is paying off. He embraces the challenge of cultivating one of France’s steepest vineyards using organic farming and natural winemaking techniques. Exceptional viticulture and a gentle touch in the cellar are still seen as somewhat avant-garde on these dramatic slopes. This inaugural vintage undergoes 24 months of aging-half in amphorae and half in barrique-followed by another 24 months in the bottle. A true collector’s cuvée! Syrah on schist in the northern part of the appellation. His forward-thinking approach is paving the way for a new era in the region.