Very pleased to release these from Jean Delobre's La Ferme Des Sept Lunes in St Joseph. Beautiful work that heralds the approaching colder months, these are the kind of wines we love to watch develop over a long lunch, complexity in spades without sacrificing drinkability and freshness.
Winding up 350m from the valley floor, perched on the hillside, one would find Jean Delobre and his 10-hectare farm in Bogy. The latest of three generations here, he took over from his parents in 1984, began organic conversion in '96, and converted to biodynamics in 2001- the year he decided to leave the local co-op and focus on vinifying his own fruit. Parcels are mostly on steep slopes over granite, with a little sandy clay topsoil.
Jean was joined in 2017 by his good friend Jaques Maurice, also looking to leave the local co-op to have more input over his own fruit. A companion to help in the vines and the cave has really energised Jean, and the wines found even more focus in the last decade.
These are among our favourite expressions of Syrah, with good energy, delicate tannins and real depth, and the latest white from Jean continues the trick of gaining real tension and minerality from varieties not renowned for either.
Jean is masterful in his balance, but credits much of it to his fruit, and retaining the energy in the parcels, which hum with life.
Now Available:
2024 - VDF Viognier Roussane
50/50 blend from loess soils. Pressed directly, fermented and aged in tank. Mineral and flinty, with a bright crunch of apple, lovely bit of stone-fruit weight and honeysuckle lift.
2022 - Lune Rousse (Roussanne)
The Roussane is from a younger parcel of vines on the plateau beside Jean's house, vinified in tank and aged for a year in concrete egg and a larger old barrel, with no additions. Absolutely pristine, has aged beautifully.
2023 - VDF Syrah
100% Syrah from granitic soils, a mix of whole bunch and destemmed fruit, and raised in tank, with no sulphites added. A wonderfully pure and aromatic expression: black fruit, olive core, a nice bit of weight up front and soft, supple tannin.
2023 - Premier Quartier (Syrah)
From parcels on an east-facing slope at 330m, over deep granitic gravel. Plantings from the early 1980's and massal selection vines from 2006-2008. 12 months ageing in big old Bordeaux barrels. Vivid and lifted, bright fruit struck with a great saline olive balance and garrigue herbal edge.
2022 - Pleine Lune (Syrah)
Pleine Lune is a south-facing slope, among the warmest of the farm's parcels of Syrah. Aged for 12 months in large 600l barrels. No added sulphur. Softer and supple. Plump, juicy fruit, bags of blackcurrant and blackberry, hedgerow lift.
2021 - Chemin Faisant (Syrah)
The oldest vines, planted in 1974 from massal selection, close to the Premier Quartier parcel, but on much shallower soils, over almost pure granite. 12 months in demi-muid, no additions. This is the fullest of the tranche we've received, with deep cassis fruit and spice, beautifully integrated acidity.
FOR ALL WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM
Photographs of Jean & the vineyards by Bryan McComb
