Forty years in geological terms is nothing. And as Jean-Louis Chave never fails to point out, the land is constant, unchangeable. Land use is something different, of course. The great hill of Hermitage would have been covered in forest before someone had the bright idea of planting vines. Will it always be a vineyard? Will members be celebrating The Wine Society’s 300th year with an anniversary Hermitage? Who can tell? But the hill itself will remain.
What am I leaving behind?
I will be leaving behind a group of extraordinary people and a rather fine bit of France. I realise that although I know where the vines are, there is plenty that I haven’t seen, so I shall certainly return.
The story of Rhône wine has been one of spectacular success. The right wine at the right time: bold and generous wines that exude warmth and richness and that go so well with the Mediterranean lifestyle that we all crave. The rise of the Rhônes has been meteoric. It has all happened in a very short space of time and this despite wine traditions in the valley being ancient. Success like this often comes at a cost with rapid expansion and, in some cases, overproduction.
Wine buying trips then and now
I joined The Society in 1986, and my first vintages were from the early ‘80s. My initial visit was in January 1987. Three days were enough to cover our needs, with just two or three visits in the north and maybe five or six in the south. At the time, most of the business was done with merchants or négociants. Few growers bottled their own wine, preferring to deliver their crop to the local co-op which then sold the young wines to the négociant. It was a perfect circle – until everyone thought they could do everything themselves.
I’ve just completed my last visit, tasting the 2023 vintage and having an early look at 2024. This annual exercise has taken over five weeks and four visits, seeing 100 or so producers, some huge, some tiny. The difference compared to 40 years ago is dramatic, and I have been privileged enough to witness it.
When I started, I remember there was still a buzz of excitement surrounding the 1978 vintage. This was the vintage of the century, as great maybe as 1961. Some of the wines were quite incredible: Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Crozes-Hermitage from Jaboulet, for example, became the stuff of legends. My first Cornas was the 1978 from Jaboulet which I can still remember. Hermitage La Chapelle has become an icon for that vintage as it was for 1961. Having tasted it several times this year, I still don’t think it is quite ready, even after more than 40 years!
Wines from Rhône
All Rhône wines
Cairanne, Haut Coustias, Domaine de l'Oratoire Saint Martin 2019
Coteaux de Die, Cave Poulet 2022
Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine Rousset 2021
Saint-Joseph La Croix des Vignes, Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2020
Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonniers, Chapoutier 2021
Massif d'Uchaux, Château Saint Estève 2017
Cornas La Geynale Vertical Case
Cornas, Les Chaillots, Domaine Allemand 2017
Hermitage Rouge, Guigal 2019
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Nalys Blanc, Guigal 2020
The rise of the new heroes
Etienne and Marcel Guigal, relative newcomers, created their own icon, La Mouline, from plots on the Côte Blonde in Côte-Rôtie. This became the first Rhône wine to exceed the $100 (£79) mark in New York. The 1978 vintage produced a seismic shock throughout the Rhône, and, some say, started an inevitable rise in prices. The Society felt the 1978 buzz, taking on new suppliers such as Chave and Mont-Redon. Other estates such as Domaines Jaume and Maby soon followed. It took another vintage to really change everything forever: 1990, a vintage of perfection where both quality and quantity lay in sublime harmony.
The funny thing about the Rhône is, although its traditions can be traced to the Romans, much of it is quite new. The huge expanse of vineyard that makes most of the simplest wines replaced olive groves that were lost to the frosts of 1956. Northern appellations like Cornas and Côte-Rôtie were tiny while Condrieu and Saint-Péray were close to extinction. The entire planting of viognier vines resided in 20 or so acres of land, and most of these were diseased and barely productive. Success brought about expansion, not always in favour of quality.
Branching out and broadening perspectives
Forty years ago, few growers would have ever ventured far from home. When Michel Ogier started out, his plots on fabled Côte-Rôtie slopes were mostly planted with cherry trees until he realised that growing grapes could be more profitable. And with the increased revenue that followed his wise decision, he was able to send his son Stéphane to South Africa to do a vintage or two. Others did the same, or at the very least sent their children to wine school in Beaune or Montpellier.
In their wake have come agronomists and oenologists to offer any amount of advice, some of it on occasions even good! Primarily troubleshooters, they can also be highly creative. I am reminded of my friend, Philippe Cambie who passed away a few years ago and who was a central figure in the Rhône. Domaine Maby, Bosquet des Papes, Domaine des Escaravailles and Clos du Caillou were among the many estates he shadowed. Influential consultants like Philippe have even been able to maximise potential, even realising a 100-pointer from an American wine critic.
The home of gastronomy – insider tips
Where there’s wine, food is rarely far away. The Rhône is especially rich in gastronomy although some of the places are no longer what they used to be. Pic in Valence and Point in Vienne have lost sight of simplicity in their offerings. Barattero in Lamastre, up a very bendy road or longer by scenic railway, was easily the best. Elizabeth David came here and wrote about such seemingly timeless dishes as poularde en vessie – what could be a better match for a mature Hermitage? I’m afraid to say the restaurant no longer exists, although Lamastre is a perfectly nice spot to while away the time.
Doors shut; doors open. Tain l’Hermitage has become not only the wine capital of the northern Rhône, but also a good place to eat. Vincent Dolin runs a lovely restaurant where the food is simple but well prepared by his Japanese wife, Keiko.
Central to life in Tain l’Hermitage has been a wine shop owned by Greek Georges Lelektsoglou, with an amazing selection of wines from everywhere and good Greek olive oil. His son runs the wine bar near the bridge. It’s a great spot for some charcuterie and a glass of wine and a good place to bump into someone. Don’t forget the chocolate factory to round things off. I remember evenings where the whole place just smells of chocolate, just as fields around Gigondas may smell of herbs or, on the heights above Vinsobres, of lavender. Home cooking is even better, of course – kudos to Nicole Jaume, best cook of the Rhône Valley! Her slow-fried aubergines are heavenly, and her home-made black pudding is a story to tell in itself!
The modern era and future of Rhône wine
But let’s get back to wine. There was a time when I would ask growers about the new vintage and whether it bore any similarity with a previous one. Nowadays, something may resonate, but only hesitantly – today’s vintages are so different.
What of the future? There are plenty of challenges, for sure. No oenologists or consultants can really have all the answers to drought and heatwaves. But many of the growers I have got to know, those who understand that quality resides in the vineyard, have the skills and vision to tackle these challenges. The vine, if healthy, is also tough and is already adapting to a warmer and drier climate. Our ingenuity will no doubt propagate new varieties that will cope with what nature has in store, as it has always been.
Naturally, people will change and dynasties will rise and fall, but the land remains a constant. Nature evolves and will always have the last word. I’m sure, there is still more out there to be discovered. The Rhône adventure carries on and I wish Fiona, as The Society’s new Rhône buyer, every success.
>> Look out for our Rhône En Primeur offer from the 2023 vintage
