Cuilleron Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Digue Blanc
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Lieu-dit “Digue” is a single vineyard cuvee which comes from a very steep hillside of Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf with a full south exposure. Granitic rocks and clear migmatites characterize the soil.
- Organic, Eco-friendly farming. No insecticides are used.
Varietal Composition: 100% Roussane
Elaboration: Planting is high-density (8,000-10,000 vines per hectares) with naturel cover cropping to avoid erosion. No insecticides and only minor treatment (depending on weather and necessity) with respect to soil and vine balance are used. Organic fertilizer is used sparingly. Precise control of vigor and yields is maintained through leaf stripping and a green harvest for better grape maturation. Disbudding occurs in spring.
The grapes are harvested manually. The winery uses the least possible amount of oenological products (indigenous yeasts). 50% of the wine is aged in wooden casks of 30 hectoliters and 50% in Burgundy barrels without racking, 8 months on lees and then blending of the different plots before bottling.
Tasting Notes: The wine has a fragrant nose with aromas of white flowers, fresh citrus fruits and hints of honey. It has a well balanced and racy palate. The mid-palate is round and velvety and the finish expresses the minerality of the terroir.
PRESS
2023 – 93 Vinous
2022 – 93 Vinous | 93 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Cuilleron Estates is a producer in the northern Rhône. The estate has been in the Cuilleron family for three generations, but it is the estate’s current owner and winemaker, Yves Cuilleron, who has expanded the size, scope, and scale of the vineyard, land holdings, and winery.