Julien Barrot (above) is making a lot of noise in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (and here). Since 2003 he’s been “estate” bottling the wines at his family’s domaine which for years supplied some of the best fruit for the négociant market. In fact the vineyards, which includes century-old parcels in the celebrated Grande Pierre, have been in his family for over 300 years.

Julien has brought “biodynamic” practices to these old vineyards, and vinifies very traditionally; concrete tanks, and neutral barrels to preserve the terroir.

Keep an eye out for his wines at our stores…his fame is growing quickly, and his wines sell out quickly!

Posted by David Moore

Maurice Combier purchased the Domaine’s original 10 hectares of vines north of Pont-de-l’Isère in 1962, farmed them organically through the 70′s and 80′s, and sold the fruit to the cooperative at Tain l’Hermitage.

In 1990 when son Laurent finished oenology school, they left the cooperative and have made their own distinctive style of Crozes-Hermitage ever since.

Low yields, hand-harvesting and rigorous selection start the vinification of this graceful wine. Aging in a mix of new, barrique, used tonneaux, and stainless steel (the proportion of which is fully dependant upon the character of the vintage) end it.

Supple, with focused, dark red-berry fruit and a complex array of spicy flavors make it ideal with roasted duck in a plum sauce or pheasant with bitter cherries.

Regional History
Phocaean Greeks established viticulture in the Rhône as far back as 600 BC, but until the 14th century the wines were not seen outside the region.

The establishment of the Avignonese Papacy (1305-1377) brought fame to the region’s wine – so much so that their Burgundian neighbors to the north banned wines from the Rhône in 1446, a measure that effectively cut off trade with England and other Northern European markets for over 200 years.

Stretching southward from Lyon to Avignon, the Rhône produces a wide variety of wines, with the appellations north of Valence producing the least (in volume), and the towns south of Montélimar producing prodigious amounts. As in other regions, the most interesting wines come from small farms.

The Crozes-Hermitage AOC on the eastern banks of the river is the largest in the Northern Rhône. A majority of growers are in cooperatives, but in recent years the most attention is given to the estate bottled wines of independent producers.

Regional Foods
The Northern Rhone’s cuisine has never been indigenous. It’s unique position at the head of the Rhone Basin allows the Marin winds from the Mediterranean to penetrate fairly far north and ripen the fruit growing on the eastern banks to levels often the equal of the Southern Rhone.

But beyond the narrow river valley the climate turns continental, and so does the food. Most of the inspiration for Northern Rhône cuisine has been taken from the foods of Lyon and Burgundy, and relies on the high-quality ingredients that adorn the countryside.

These include naturally raised chickens from Bresse, beef from Charolais cattle, and game and fish from nearby forests and streams.

Wine, of course, is used for making sauces usually with onion, mushrooms and lardoons (salt pork). Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq a Vin follow this pattern. Saucisson, both hot and sweet, stewed in red wine or served à la rosette or en brioche are also popular.

© Moore Brothers Wine Company

Laurent Combier’s grandparents were fruit farmers in the Ardeche, the rugged department to the west of the northern Rhône. In the 1930′s, they moved to La Roche du Glun, a hamlet that sits on an island between the left and right banks of the Rhône near Tain L’Hermitage. The family took over 15 acres, 10 of which were planted to vines in the walled-in plot called Clos des Grives.

For over thirty-five years, the vineyards of the Domaine Combier have been farmed organically. When Laurent Combier took over from his father, the Crozes-Hermitage appellation was relatively unknown with a mixed reputation. Learning how to maximize ripeness in the impeccably farmed vineyards and modernizing the winery were Laurent’s first concerns.

The sandy, gravelly soil provides a perfect home for the old Syrah vines (some of which are over a century-old), and Laurent has been proving the worth of the appellation by producing subtle, polished wines unusual for a region dominated by co-operatives and négociants trading on the “Hermitage” name.

Posted by David Moore

The Mas de Libian has been a working farm (cereals, fruits and vines), remaining in the same family since 1670.

Hélène Thibon, a remarkably young, energetic member of the family took over the viticulture and winemaking in 1995, and convinced her family to “estate bottle” the wines rather than sell to local négociants.

Her farming is entirely organic, and the vines (averaging 40-45 years-old) are pruned for low yields and concentration.

Her terraced vineyards in St-Marcel d’Ardèche (the west bank of the Rhône) provide stunning views of Mont Ventoux, the Appilles, and the Dentelles de Montmirail.

The cuvée “Bout d’Zan” is from younger vines, vinified to showcase the perfumed aromatics of the Grenache grape (which represents about 85% of the blend).

Regional History
Phocaean Greeks established viticulture in the Rhône as far back as 600 BC, but until the 14th century the wines were not seen outside the region.

The establishment of the Avignonese Papacy (1305-1377) brought fame to the region’s wine-so much so that their Burgundian neighbors to the north banned wines from the Rhône in 1446, a measure that effectively cut off trade with England and other Northern European markets for over 200 years.

Stretching southward from Lyon to Avignon, the Rhône produces a wide variety of wines, with the appellations north of Valence producing the least (in volume), and the towns south of Montélimar producing prodigious amounts. As in other regions, the most interesting wines come from small farms.

Saint Marcel d’Ardèche is on the western bank of the Rhône, northwest of Avignon. Typically, the wines of the region show intense fruit and spice, and carry considerable structure due to the high calcium levels in the soil.

Regional Foods
The marvelously varied cuisine of Provence and the Southern Rhône is defined – but not limited – by its geography. Proximity to the sea and the mountains often results in plates that combine fish and meat and produce, along with the ubiquitous olive tree.

Two classic regional dishes reflect this diversity: brandade melds salt cod, potatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh cream; bouillabaisse brings together local fish such as racasse, langoustine, skate, and squid, plus sausages, served in saffron-scented stews.

Abundant game adorns restaurant menus: boar, duck, antelope, and rabbit (often as rillettes) are common plats du jour.

Game birds, like capon and pigeon, are roasted with the wide variety of local herbs. Lamb, also a staple, sometimes appears in form of lamb à la ficelle, a leg hung by rope over an open flame. Anchovies from the coast are eaten grilled and served with rosé. The distinctive olive oils produced here are blended with fresh olives and herbs to make tapenade.

© 2011 Moore Brothers Wine Company

A family-run winery since 1905, the Jaume estate has grown to 80 hectares of selected vineyard land in and around the hamlet of Vinsobres, in the southern Rhône Valley. The vineyards in the hills overlooking the original estate produce this cuvée of Syrah, and Grenache. Supple and rich, with notes of spice, cocoa and licorice, this is a splendid example of a superb vintage, delicious in its youth.

Regional History
Phocaean Greeks established viticulture in the Rhône as far back as 600 BC, but until the 14th century the wines were not seen outside the region. The establishment of the Avignonese Papacy (1305-1377) brought fame to the region's wine–so much so that their Burgundian neighbors to the north banned wines from the Rhône in 1446, a measure that effectively cut off trade with England and other Northern European markets for over 200 years.

Stretching southward from Lyon to Avignon, the Rhône produces a wide variety of wines, with the appellations north of Valence producing the least (in volume), and the towns south of Montélimar producing prodigious amounts. As in other regions, the most interesting wines come from small farms. The AOC Côtes-du-Rhône covers the entire Rhône region but is more regularly used in the south.

Regional Foods
The marvelously varied cuisine of Provence and the Southern Rhône is defined – but not limited – by its geography. Proximity to the sea and the mountains often results in plates that combine fish and meat and produce, along with the ubiquitous olive tree.

Two classic regional dishes reflect this diversity: brandade melds salt cod, potatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh cream; bouillabaisse brings together local fish such as racasse, langoustine, skate, and squid, plus sausages, served in saffron-scented stews.

Abundant game adorns restaurant menus: boar, duck, antelope, and rabbit (often as rillettes) are common plats du jour.

Game birds like capon and pigeon are roasted with the wide variety of local herbs. Lamb, also a staple, sometimes appears in form of lamb a la ficelle, a leg hung by rope over an open flame. Anchovies from the coast are eaten grilled and served with rosé.

The distinctive olive oils produced here are blended with fresh olives and herbs to make tapenade.

© 2007 Moore Brothers Wine Company