2022 Cave Yves Cuilleron Saint-Joseph Les Serines

Yves Cuilleron, producer of the superb Condrieu, the great white of the northern Rhône, has successfully focused on red wine production in recent years. His finest red wine is undoubtedly this magnificent "Les Serines," a wine made from Cuilleron's finest Syrah parcels in Saint-Joseph, from old vines that yield wines with great depth and concentration. The vineyards are ideally situated: the vines are planted on south-southeast-facing terraces, with granite and sand subsoils that quickly drain rainwater. The grapes are perfectly ripe at harvest and undergo a full four weeks of fermentation, resulting in a wine of exceptional depth and power. It is then aged for a year and a half in 100% new French oak barrels. It is a superb glass of wine, with a complexity and depth unmatched for a Saint-Joseph.

The Saint-Joseph Les Serines has an intense, deep ruby red color in the glass. On the nose, the wine is very powerful and broad, intense, with Mediterranean spices and a sultry aroma. After swirling the glass, we also taste a hint of vanilla and the typical Syrah pepperiness and red berries. This is a fantastic wine, super intense yet fresh on the palate, young, with good tannins, length, and finesse. Delicious now, but decant it later and great for cellaring, as it will improve even further in the coming years. For us, this is a perfect wine to pair with game dishes.

Yves Cuilleron represents the third generation of winemakers. Cave Cuilleron has existed since 1920. In 1987, the estate came into Yves' hands through his grandfather and uncle. Along with François Villard, Yves Cuilleron is now one of the most talented winemakers in the northern Rhône. Wine Spectator calls him the leader of the new generation of winemakers in Condrieu. Most of his vineyards are located in and around Chavanay, just south of Condrieu. In total, he owns 59 hectares spread across Saint Joseph (Blanc), Saint Joseph (Rouge), Côte-Rôtie, and Condrieu.

Yves has an important motto: pick the grapes as ripe as possible! He's a foodie who loves good food and "Les Vins Gourmand." This is reflected in his wines. He makes his wines "100% maison." For each plot or type of wine, he maintains the Cuilleron style of the respective cuvée, without compromise. However, nothing is set in stone for him. He works with intuition and experience, constantly observing and adjusting. He selects the fruit from both older and younger vines. He does the same with the different plots. He only blends different plots if there are sufficient synonyms or complementary characteristics.

Yves follows his own path in winemaking. He doesn't follow trends. He doesn't work conventionally, organically, or biodynamically, but rather according to his own philosophy, focused on obtaining healthy grapes. He observes constantly to be able to intervene in time. For 20 years, he has been working sustainably according to la lutte raisonnée—a sensible way of making wine without pesticides and artificial fertilizers. In the cellar, he works with natural yeasts and prefers to use older barrels and barriques instead of steel tanks.