Cuilleron Cote Rotie Bassenon 2023

Yves Cuilleron is a third-generation winemaker in the Northern Rhône whose domaine spans around 100 hectares across top appellations like Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Cornas and more. He practices sustainable viticulture, meaning no insecticides, minimal treatments, green harvesting and meticulously hand-worked vineyards. Since 2015 he has bottled individual lieux-dits, reflecting his passion for terroir and precision.

The grapes for Côte-Rôtie Bassenon 2023 come from 1.5 hectares of terraced vines on the Coteau de Semons which are south-facing granitic slopes in Tupin-Semons. This prime terroir is part of the famed Côte Blonde sector and yields Viognier with floral intensity and Syrah with minerality and energy.The wine is composed of 90% Syrah and 10% Viognier, offering a harmonious balance of structure and floral lift. Grapes are hand-harvested, partially destemmed and fermented with native yeasts in open vats for around three weeks with regular punch-downs and pump-overs to extract colour and tannin. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel and is aged for 18 months in French oak barriques, a small proportion of which are new. The result is a wine of violet, black fruit and smoky spice, with fine tannins and minerality. Perfect alongside roast duck, lamb shank or truffle pasta.