This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of our partnership with the Faury family. They’ve cultivated the northern Rhône’s steep, fabled hillsides since the end of World War II, when Jean Faury settled in the tiny hamlet of La Ribaudy and planted his land to vines and orchards. It wasn’t until 1979, when his son Philippe took over, that the family’s focus shifted to winemaking and expanding their vineyard holdings. Since then, the Faurys’ raison d’être has been to masterfully express the distinct soil in which their vines root, crafting wines that capture all the nuance and soul of Saint-Joseph, Condrieu, and Côte-Rôtie.
     Lionel Faury is the third generation to take the helm, and he’s practically grown up in the family’s vineyards. Visiting the domaine last year, I was struck by his down-to-earth, easygoing nature—our informal tasting took place on his sunny back porch while he grilled us lunch. And Lionel’s affable qualities seem to shine through in his wines, which feel—and taste, and smell—like a breath of fresh air: polished and approachable young while simultaneously deep and age-worthy; above all else, they speak of where they are from. To mark this celebratory occasion, I asked Lionel to raise a glass and share his thoughts on this thirty-year milestone.

“My relationship with wine began when I was young—as the child designated to fetch the wine for meals, I went (every day!) to fill the bottle for the table. Soon I was tempted to dip my lips into the perfumed beverage forbidden to me. My parents scolded me when they caught on; I hadn’t realized that it left my lips red! But it became a habit that made them smile—for them, wine was served from the age of ten.
     My earliest memories of Kermit were long preceded by his “aura.” His name was familiar because it often came up in conversations at home, but I had to wait ten years before meeting him. I had a lot of respect and shyness during our first meeting when he came to select wines from the 2004 harvest. The silence and immersion during the tasting created a very enveloping atmosphere, a bit like when you enter a cathedral for the first time, awestruck by the architecture and engulfed in the mystical atmosphere of the place.
     A lot has changed in thirty years! First, and perhaps most importantly, the vineyards have aged, and we are lucky to have many older vines today. A few changes stand out to me: increased knowledge of the vine to better adapt practices; internet access for cutting-edge, hyper-localized weather forecasts; and advances in equipment that make work easier both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Then again, some things don’t really change, especially in the cellar. Fermentation still takes place in concrete vats and with whole bunches and indigenous yeasts, punching down the cap is done with our feet, we preserve old barrels (the oldest in service dates from 1989), and our red wines remain unfiltered. And more simply, the pleasure of adapting to nature and trying to bring out the best each year—that remains the goal always!
     What makes me most proud today is having been able to increase the quality of the wines while maintaining the same style that my father produced. Looking to the next thirty years, it’s tough to say what’s ahead. We’re facing major climate-related challenges: water scarcity during the summer, milder winters, and the intensification of drought and devastating storms. Artificial intelligence can bring enormous benefits to the agricultural sector, but it still needs to be mastered and used properly. In small family businesses like ours, you learn to adapt and weather the storm with the support of multiple generations around you.” – Lionel Faury