Yves Cuilleron Les Vignes d'à Côté Syrah 2024

Sourced from granite-rich hillside vineyards immediately beyond the Saint-Joseph appellation, this is one of the Northern Rhône’s best-kept secrets, delivering all the character of a classic Saint-Joseph without the appellation on the label. Yves Cuilleron has long been regarded as one of the region’s benchmark producers, playing a key role in the revival of Condrieu and establishing his family estate in Chavanay among the leading names of the Northern Rhône. For Les Vignes d'à Côté, he works with carefully tended parcels planted on the same granite soils that define neighbouring Saint-Joseph, where warm days, cool nights and the Mistral wind produce Syrah of remarkable freshness, aromatic purity and mineral precision. Rather than relying on prestige, this wine allows the quality of the terroir and Cuilleron's meticulous vineyard work to speak for themselves.

Made from 100% Syrah, the wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts before ageing in French oak, using a restrained proportion of new barrels to preserve the purity of the fruit and the expression of the granite terroir. The bouquet is immediately recognisable as Northern Rhône, with aromas of blackberry, black cherry and damson layered with cracked black pepper, violet, smoked bacon, olive tapenade, liquorice and subtle spice. The palate is supple yet beautifully focused, combining silky tannins with vibrant acidity and the freshness that granite soils naturally impart. Elegant rather than powerful, it finishes with impressive length, savoury complexity and a distinctive mineral edge. It is equally enjoyable in its youth or after a few years in bottle, pairing beautifully with grilled lamb, duck, charcuterie, roast chicken, mushroom dishes and mature cheeses.