The extraordinary
2018 releases from this iconic northern Rhône
producer have arrived. Limited availability. Get
yours now.
|
|
View online |
|
|
NEW ARRIVALS • 2018 vintage
|
|
Hervé Souhaut
|
Filligreed,
crystalline northern Rhône gems from one of the
region’s most celebrated icons
|
|
|
|
 |
. . they are
utterly beautiful, elegant creations, made from old
vines with very little sulphur dioxide added . .
— Jamie Goode
These are wines on the edge, both
technically in terms of winemaking as well as
idiosyncracy in style . . intriguing for their
distinctively unadorned profiles and dressed down
accessibility . .
— James Molesworth
It’s no wonder Hervé Souhaut, who
created Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet in 1993, has
become a sommelier darling. He makes perfumed,
approachable old-vine syrahs from the northern Rhône
(St.-Joseph, in particular) and happy gamay from the
northern Ardèche. Souhaut’s wines have been in the
States since 2002, but over the past few years
they’ve started to sell out on arrival.
– Megan Krigbaum, PUNCH
|
|
|
| Hervé
Souhaut established Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet
in 1993 and since then has developed a reputation
for producing some of the finest examples of
limited-production wines that the Northern Rhône
valley has to offer. |
His tiny estate sits on acidic granite soils, and includes a
swathe of vines that are between 50 to 100 years old, which
Hervé cultivates using a blend of organic and biodynamic
techniques.
Hervé Souhaut (er-vay-soo-auw) met his wife Béatrice
while he was studying biology in Lyon. Béatrice’s family
owns a farm and vineyard near Arlebosc in the Ardèche, a
hamlet that apparently no one outside of the village has
heard of, located a 30-minute drive from St.-Jean de Muzols,
up a hairpin-turn-filled road through the stunning, craggy,
savage Doux valley.
As Béatrice’s parents gradually recouped their vineyards
from lease agreements that were ending, Hervé decided to be
more than just a weekend winemaker. After studying a bit in
Burgundy and learning from his friends (including vignerons
Marcel Lapierre and Philippe Pacalet), Hervé started Domaine
Romaneaux-Destezet with Béatrice in 1993, adding additional
parcels through purchases and new plantings over the years.
The couple converted the cellars of her parents’
centuries-old hunting lodge into their winery. They now own
four parcels of vines totalling 8.5 hectares in
Saint-Joseph, as well as 20 additional acres of vineyards on
the plateau, planted primarily to Gamay, Roussanne and
Viognier. The AOC wines are labeled under Souhaut’s name,
while the Vin de France cuvées are named Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet,
in homage to the name of Béatrice’s parents’ estate (Les
Romaneaux) combined with her family name (Destezet).
The grape varieties Hervé cultivates are all indigenous to
the Ardèche VdP AOC and – here’s the important part: they
are very, very old vines. Granitic soil rules in this
region, with schists in between; and because of the
relatively high elevation of the vineyards, the grapes are
marked with sound natural acidity. Harvesting by hand is
implied both by philosophy and situation of his steep
hillside vineyards.
|
. . all the
wines possess energy. They do not suffer “palate
drag” whereby excessive fatness, sweetness,
extraction, bitterness, alcohol or wood seem to hold
back the very essence of the wine or cause our
tongues to negotiate superimposed textures and
flavours.
— Doug Wregg
. . it is complex, yet smashable . . It is also
affordable.
— Jamie Goode
|
|
Souhaut’s reds are vinified in inert tanks, with whole
bunches going through a long, cold maceration before
undergoing semi-carbonic fermentation. Malolactic is usually
done in tank as well. From there the wines are moved to used
barrels for a brief six to eight months of aging. The whites
are barrel-fermented (but no new oak) and also see the same
brief élevage.
“I just don’t like the taste of oak, and don’t want the
wines marked by oak,” says Hervé.
His philosophy is to compose a balanced set of tannins from
the grapes, to make wines with subtlety and finesse. This
stands in contrast to many of the storied wines of the
Northern Rhône which are made with much more extraction of
tannin, designed to be practically undrinkable in youth but
to soften and open with time. Hervé prefers to make a wine
that is balanced and expressive from the outset, highly
drinkable right away yet with structural elements intact,
sufficient to evolve positively with bottle age. (A 2003
Sainte Épine tasted at the domaine proved this point.)
Souhaut’s methods in the vineyard and cellar are
uncontrived. His wines are informed by his time learning his
craft from the godfathers of natural winemaking, the sagely
Jules Chauvet and his equally iconoclastic disciple the late
Marcel Lapierre. Subsequently, Souhaut worked at Dard & Ribo, another
cult natural wine outpost at Tain-l’Hermitage in the
Hermitage enclave, before starting out on his own. The
association with Dard & Ribo remains a close one. They
are now colleagues, producing another line of wine by way of
collaboration.
Every release by Souhaut is a treasure and we are
thrilled to offer the new vintage of these
favourites of ours to you today. Top to bottom,
Hervé Souhaut wines are appealing in their wholesome
purity and upfront delectability. Even the “simple”
Vin de Pays is stunning, punching well above
its weight, displaying the effortless finesse that
Souhaut is famous for, without sacrificing strength
or complexity. The single-vineyard Saint Josephs are
deep, pristine beauties that redefine, or rather
elevate, the appellation. They are as immediately
compelling as they are cellar treasures.
|
The offer is valid until 2 April 2020. Orders will be
processed subject to availability and final written
confirmation. Allocation rules may apply. Full payment is
required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice is
sent in order to confirm the purchase. No reservation is
allowed. All terms and conditions apply.
|
The Offer
|
- OFFER VALID ONLY UNTIL
2 APRIL 2020
- ALLOCATION RULES MAY APPLY
- PRICES ARE QUOTED NETT in SGD
- SUBJECT TO FINAL WRITTEN CONFIRMATIOn
** labels/PHOTOS
MAY not represent actual vintage **
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| “Domaine
Romaneaux-Destezet” Blanc VdF 2018 |
S$ 51 / 750 ml for
3-bottles or more
S$ 55 / 750 ml
|
| A blend of Viognier
and Roussanne grown on schist soils.
Vine age ranges from 12 to 100 years
old. About 4,000 bottles made.
Grapes are hand-harvested and
undergo a very long maceration at a
low temperature. The wine is
fermented in wooden tanks and aged
on fine lees in second-hand oak
casks for eight months. The wine is
bottled without filtration. |
“. . yellow robe; peach-elderflower, nicely
ripe nose that carries an open blush of
first youth from the sun of the year, a note
of fennel, too. The palate offers good mixed
white fruits, with a smoky note, pliant
content, some concentration in the juice.
This will go well with white meats, Asian
cuisine. The close is round, calm. I give
this until 2025-26.” Jonathan
Livingstone-Learmonth, DrinkRhone.com
|
|
|
|
|
| Saint
Joseph Blanc 2018 |
| S$ 83 / 750 ml
|
| 100% Roussanne from
Les Cessieux vineyard. South-facing,
steep granitic soils. Extremely
limited yield. |
Previously rated Vinous 91 points
(2016, 2015, 2014)
|
|
|
 |
|
|
“L’Etrati” Blanc 2017 |
| S$ 85 / 750 ml
|
A debut Saint Joseph
blanc cuvée made of
old-vine Roussanne, released only
after extended ageing. Very rare.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| “La
Souteronne” (Gamay) VdP 2018 |
| S$ 55 / 750 ml
|
| 100% Gamay from 60-
to 80-year-old vines in the northern
Ardeche. About 3,000 bottles made.
Grapes are hand-harvested and
undergo a very long maceration at a
low temperature without destemming.
The wine is fermented in wooden
tanks and aged on fine lees in
second-hand oak casks for eight
months. The wine is bottled without
filtration. |
“. . good red robe; has a raspberry, minted
aroma, a hint of licorice . . The palate
comes with tender fruit, gives real fruit
gum pleasure, strawberry prominent, the
close rounded. This is serene, most
charming, has good grip and a salted touch
on the finish.” Jonathan
Livingstone-Learmonth |
|
|
 |
|
| Syrah VdP
2018 |
S$ 51 / 750 ml for
3-bottles or more
S$ 55 / 750 ml
S$ 125 / 1,500 ml – Magnum
|
| 100% Syrah from
30-year-old vines, a blend of
multiple vineyards. Grapes are
hand-harvested and undergo a very
long maceration at a low temperature
without destemming. The wine is
fermented in wooden tanks and aged
on fine lees in second-hand oak
casks for eight months. The wine is
bottled without filtration. |
“. . red robe. Elderberry, blackberry, neat
black pastille appeal on the nose, a
backdrop of beef stock adding dimension. The
palate gives bright black berry-violet
fruit, in the instant, will please
unconditionally. It continues with a pure
thread, finesse in the late juice. This
performs as well as ever.” Jonathan
Livingstone-Learmonth |
|
|
|
|
| Saint
Joseph “Clos des Cessieux” 2018 |
S$ 79 / 750 ml for
3-bottles or more
S$ 83 / 750 ml
S$ 187 / 1,500 ml – Magnum
|
| 100% Syrah from Les
Cessieux vineyard. Debuted in
vintage 2013. 30-year-old vines on a
1.5 ha plot just below the vineyards
owned by Raymond Trollat, one of the
Rhône’s great (and now retired)
traditionalists. North-to-southeast
facing, steep granitic soils. From
vines that Beatrice’s grandfather
owns (along with all the other
vines). A few decades ago, before he
knew Hervé wanted to make wines, he
had rented that parcel out with a
25-year lease. These vines weren’t
worked organically until Hervé got
the vines back in 2013. Hervé says
the soil in St Joseph is very rocky
with very little soft soil that
retains chemicals, so he thinks the
chemicals have now washed out of the
parcel. |
“The 2018 Clos des Cessieux, as it has
always been, displays a highly floral
aromatic profile and high-toned spices. This
is a classic northern Rhône syrah, tense and
bright, with an irresistible cool-fruited
elegance. A rather Zen rendition of this
impressive vineyard and one of the finest
ever produced by Souhaut — yet. So lovely.”
AC
“. . dark red; the bouquet is aromatic, has
a gentle air that is floral, holds very
well, is lucid and floating, on black
fruits. The palate is more tenacious,
close-knit, with firm tannins, ways to go,
good iron inside, and potential. This is
handsome wine with fine juice and floral
nudges on the aftertaste, is true to its
place. From late-2020, though I don’t think
many people will wait that long.” Jonathan
Livingstone-Learmonth |
|
|
|
|
| Saint
Joseph “Sainte Épine” 2018 |
S$ 90 / 750 ml
S$ 205 / 1,500 ml – Magnum
|
| 100% Syrah from
Sainte Épine vineyard, considered
the finest in Saint Joseph. Very
poor soils with perfect exposure
like Les Bessards in Hermitage. Less
than 1,500 bottles made, from vines
of up to 100 years in age. The
proximity of this famous
south-facing slope to the Hermitage
hill, along with the recognised
quality of its terroir, means that
it produces the finest and most
mineral expression of Saint Joseph. |
“A deeply complex nose of black fruit,
olives, meats and black pepper prelude an
equally complex palate. The fruit is
perfectly ripened but there is no hint of
over-exuberance. If anything, Ste Épine’s
very old vines has tempered the incredible
reservoir of stuffing with a gentle, cool
elegance. Even the abundant fine tannin
structure is buried underneath the sweet
fruit. Really complex and as good as a Ste
Épine as we could remember. Wow.” AC
“. . dark red; mulberry/raspberry combine on
the nose in a good, open delivery, has a
sweet curve to it. There are southern, black
olives and what approaches herbes de
Provence notes that I am associating with
the sun-filled 2018 vintage. The palate has
a delicate debut, holds fine red fruits, a
good stream of tannin, some light grain
crunch on the close. Its strength creeps up
on you – there’s definite mass here. Wait:
it will unfurl well.” Jonathan
Livingstone-Learmonth |
|
|
TERMS
& CONDITIONS
- Prices are quoted nett in Singapore Dollars
(SGD), ex-Singapore, valid until 2 April 2020.
- Prices are for single bottle size (750 ML)
unless otherwise specified.
- Orders will be processed subject to remaining
availability and final written confirmation.
- Confirmation may take 1-2 working days.
Allocation rules may apply.
- Full payment must be made no later than 7 days
after invoice date to confirm the order. We
reserve the right to redistribute wines ordered
not honoured by timely payment or sufficient
mutually agreeable notice.
- This offer is non-transferable and cannot be
used in conjunction with other offers and/or
promotions.
- Wines sold are not returnable.
- Delivery fee is waived for purchases over $500
before GST in a single receipt to a single
Singapore address. Otherwise S$25 delivery fee
per address applies. Please allow a few days to
coordinate collection or delivery.
- Order(s) are to be collected/delivered within
1 month upon completion of sale. Failure to take
delivery / collect goods will result in storage
fees being charged to your account.
|
|
ARTISAN CELLARS MARCH
2020 WINE LIST
 This
list outlines a compilation of artisanal wines that
we carry. We take pride in the sourcing and
provenance of our wines, from the most affordable to
the higher ends. As importers, most of our wines
come direct from the estates. We are proud to work
with the most respected growers from every wine
region, each of them representing the very best that
their respective appellation is capable of
producing. To augment our list, we occasionally
include quality wines from only impeccable sources.
Regardless of point of origin, we are always
committed to shipping and storing them in ideal
cellar conditions. Please email us at sales@artisan-cellars.com
or call us at +65 6838 0373 to enquire about exact
availability of wines, or to find out anything you
wish to know about our wines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
