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2021 Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier “Les Ruisseaux”
Domaine Jean-Claude MarsanneTake a few moments to become acquainted with this Viognier and you will be well rewarded. A whiff of petrol suggests you’ve opened a Riesling, while the first sip carries notes of fresh-cut grass. But as the wine loses its chill, alchemy happens. Soon you’ll detect aromas of orange blossom, and the next sip will be a succulent mouthful of apricots, ripe peaches, white flowers, and a hint of marzipan. Amid the lush fruit runs a delicate current of minerality that lingers on the tongue, as if the wine cascaded down a granite slope on its way into your glass. In some ways, it has; the stream running alongside Jean-Claude Marsanne’s vineyard transports granite deposits from Saint-Joseph to these Viognier vines and provides the wine its name, “Les Ruisseaux,” the French word for streams.
—Meghan Foley
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Viognier |
Appellation: | IGP Ardèche |
Country: | France |
Region: | Northern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne |
Winemaker: | Jean-Claude Marsanne |
Vineyard: | Planted in 2013, .8 ha |
Soil: | Granite |
Aging: | Fermented and aged in 50% stainless steel tank and 50% 228L barrels for 1 year, no new oak |
Farming: | Haute Valeur Environnementale (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region
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About The Producer
Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne
The Marsanne family, as their name attests, has a long and deep-rooted history in the northern Rhône, in particular around Mauves, the birthplace of the Saint-Joseph appellation. In 1920, current owner Jean-Claude’s grandfather, Jean-Pierre, became the first in the family to focus solely on vineyards—no easy task given the impossibly steep slopes of Mauves, where everything must be worked by hand and pickaxe. Jean-Pierre started with just a few small parcels, selling off his crop to prestigious négociants, and was quickly renowned throughout the region for the exceptional quality of his grapes. His untimely passing in 1950 forced his son, Jean, to quit school at age 16 to take over the domaine. He continued his father’s work in earnest, his vineyards often being recognized amongst the village’s best, not just for their exposition and soil, but also for the attention to detail young Jean paid to each vine. The grape sales financed some small land purchases in and around Mauves, and the domaine slowly grew to 3 hectares. In 1970, Jean made the leap to begin making and bottling the wines himself. Over time, a small, but loyal following developed, especially among France’s fine dining establishments, which valued the finesse and elegance of Marsanne’s cuvées. The domaine remained largely unknown on the international scene, overlooked by many journalists and clients who sought out bolder, more extracted styles.
Since taking over from Jean in 1991, Jean-Claude has continued to add select new parcels, growing the domaine to 9.6 hectares. While still mostly focused on Syrah from the hallowed terroir of Mauves, he now farms a few small plots of Marsanne for his Saint-Joseph blanc, as well as some Viognier and Syrah in the Ardèche hills west of the village. He also inherited a superb plot of Crozes-Hermitage that once belonged to his grandmother.
Kermit came across Jean Marsanne during his early adventures in France in the 1970s, and was struck by the wines’ aromatic complexity and Jean’s meticulous care for the vineyards. He even managed to import a few bottles in those early days. Kermit and the Marsannes lost touch and life went on, until decades later when Kermit spotted a familiar label while dining out in Paris. The bottle was ordered, uncorked, and an old collaboration was renewed.
Jean-Claude holds tightly to the traditions of his family. These include farming the steepest parcels by hand, as was done by his grandfather; using indigenous yeasts for slow, natural fermentations, like his father taught him; and aging his wines extensively on fine lees, releasing each cuvée at its most expressive moment. The reunion with Marsanne is one of great pride on both sides.
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2022 Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah “Les Hautes Ribaudes”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.