Terroir Shines

I’ve always relied on the critics for their hyperbole, but today I’m adding some of my own. I was first introduced to this producer about a decade ago by an industry friend of mine. He had a limited amount of the Syrah to sell, and he said, “I’m billing you for a couple of each of the wines and sending them to you. You’re going to love these.” Of course, he was right. They were sensational and very fairly priced. The only downside was the limited distribution, and I couldn’t find them again! Fast forward to last week, when I got to taste through the wines once more. Not only did they bring me right back to that first tasting, but they also reminded me of so many other great wines I’ve had throughout my career.

Nestled in the hills of Provence, the tiny microclimate of Villars is home to steep hillside vineyards that can only be worked by hand, with conditions particularly well suited to organic and biodynamic farming. Owner and winemaker Roch Sassi oversees the fewer than 20,000 bottles produced by the estate annually, and the results are eye-popping. The reds rely on Syrah rather than Grenache or Mourvèdre, giving the wines a unique profile with more similarities to Cornas or Hermitage. There’s that iron-rich, gamey character and a touch of smoke, but also wonderful texture and length. The Syrah bottling reminds me of a cooler-climate vintage of Chave blended with Beaucastel’s Hommage à Jacques Perrin, with the earthy character of both front and center in the wine.

Both the red and white blends have a cool-climate, lower-alcohol Châteauneuf-du-Pape feel to them, without the ripeness of more modern examples. For fans of the more modest appellations of both the Northern and Southern Rhône, these wines will really impress! Aside from Tempier, I’ve never had a lineup from another Provence producer that could match this. These are truly one-of-a-kind wines that deliver at an extremely high level!