Caves Yves Cuilleron
Chavanay, Northern Rhône
Represented by Yves Cuilleron
Grand Tasting Wines:
Saint-Joseph white Lombard 2021
Condrieu Les Chaillets 2021
Saint-Joseph red Serines 2020
Côte-Rôtie Bonnivères 2020
Located in Verlieu, a small commune just south of Condrieu, Caves Cuilleron is a classic producer in the area with wines from Condrieu, Saint Péray, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Joseph, Cote Rotie, and some sought-after Vin de Pays bottlings from the Collines Rhodaniennes. Yves Cuilleron’s grandfather started the domaine in 1920 and began bottling wines under his own name in 1947, a rare practice back then. Yves’ uncle Antoine ran the winery from 1960 to 1987 and acquired eight hectares of vineyards in the Condrieu appellation, making them one of the more significant estates in the area. Yves took over the family domaine in 1987, added vineyards, and built a new winery and aging facility.
Multiple appellations are produced at Cuilleron, from Côte-Rôtie to the white wines of Saint Peray, further south. The majority of the vines are worked by hand and planted on steep slopes. Debudding and green harvesty are often used to control the yields. In the Cuverie, grapes are partially destemmed and only native yeasts are used to undergo the alcoholic fermentation in open top vats. The elevage is done in barrels of different sizes. Cuilleron has been described by the wine press as "the leader of Condrieu's new generation of winemakers”.