2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
Kermit began collaborating with Philippe Faury in the blending of his blancs in the 1990s because he was—unusually at the time—particular about wanting the wines he imported to remain unfiltered. Today, we continue to work with Lionel in selecting the blend of parcels and aging vessels that contribute to this bottling. The 2018 is roughly 85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, and mostly aged in tank to preserve as much freshness and fruit as possible. The little bit of wine that was aged in oak will give you a delightful glimmer of opulence. The result is very delicate, round, and elegant, showcasing classic notes of peachy stone fruit.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne |
Appellation: | Saint Joseph |
Country: | France |
Region: | Northern Rhône |
Producer: | Lionel Faury |
Winemaker: | Lionel Faury |
Vineyard: | Planted between 1979 and 1998, 1.5 ha |
Soil: | Granite |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Collines Rhodaniennes
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Condrieu
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Saint Joseph
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Saint-Joseph
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Collines Rhodaniennes
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Côte Rôtie
Along the steep, narrow valley that traces the northern Rhône, the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint-Joseph take their place among the great wines of France, and Domaine Faury is one of the region’s most artisanal producers. When Philippe Faury took over the domaine in 1979, the family was selling wine, peaches and cherries, and the bulk of their clientele was local. Over the years, Philippe increased their holdings to over 11 hectares and began to sell internationally. He shared his savoir faire with his son, Lionel. Since 2006, Lionel has taken over the reins, though father and son still work side by side. Every method they use encourages the grape towards greatness with the ultimate respect for its fragility.
On the wines of the northern Rhône, Kermit wrote in Adventures on the Wine Route, “The best combine a reminder of the sunny Mediterranean with the more self-conscious, intellectual appeal of the great Burgundies farther north, which is not a bad combination.” Like the wines of Provence, Burgundy, and Beaujolais, Kermit was introduced to this region by Richard Olney, an American ex-pat and friend of Alice Waters.
Though technically part of the same region as the southern Rhône and connected by the Rhône River, much differentiates the north from the south. The climate is continental and in general cooler than that Mediterranean climate of the south. The appellations are significantly smaller: Cornas has less than 300 acres planted to vine and Hermitage around 345. The area planted is minute when compared to Gigondas (3,000+ acres) and Châteauneuf-du-Pape (nearly 8,000 acres). Many of the great wines come from steep hillside vines—terraced during Roman times. It was clear to the Romans that great wine could be made here and DNA evidence now shows that Syrah is in fact indigenous to the Rhône.
The terroir is predominantly granite and lastly, blends of the wines are mostly single grape varieties. Only four grape varieties are permitted in AOC blends: Syrah, Viogner, Marsanne, and Roussanne (as compared to the 19 permitted varieties allowed in Châteauneuf). The red wines are nearly all Syrah and Condrieu and Château Grillet must be 100% Viogner. The whites of Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Saint Péray, and Crozes-Hermitages may only be blends of Marsanne and Roussanne.
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Collines Rhodaniennes
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Saint-Joseph
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Saint Joseph
Jean-Claude Marsanne France | Northern Rhône | Saint-Joseph
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône | Côte Rôtie
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Saint-Joseph
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône | Condrieu
André Perret France | Northern Rhône | Condrieu
Barruol Lynch France | Northern Rhône | Côte Rôtie
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône | Crozes Hermitage
Jean-Claude Marsanne France | Northern Rhône | Saint-Joseph
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône | Côte Rôtie
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. 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.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171
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