Before diving into this exciting offer, first take a look at the appellation of Hermitage. You see the hill looming across the river packed tight with steep vineyards? From Tain-l’Hermitage—the rustic town stretching along the base—any vineyards you see leading up to the crest of the hill is the extent of the appellation. We’re talking 330-something acres planted here (there are single estates larger than that) and although mostly owned by four producers, there are a few small growers peppered throughout, including today’s featured producer, Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle.
This father-and-son duo farm just under two acres in “Dionnières,” a lieu-dit (small, distinguished plot) that sits at the gently-sloped base of Hermitage. Adjacent to Dionnières is the lieu-dit of “Péléat,” which J.L. Chave uses for blending his Hermitage Rouge and Blanc—wines that fetch prices that are multiples more than today’s. Making Fayolle’s pricing even more striking is the fact that just 200 cases of their Hermitage is produced, and only a fraction of that is exported—so for us to have any at all to offer feels like a minor miracle. Blessed with an extra gear in the charmed 2015 vintage, this wine offers an exceedingly rare opportunity to taste Rhône Syrah at its pinnacle of expression—I’d go as far as to dub it the best-value Hermitage red on the market, and boy do I wish we could have gotten more: We can offer up to three bottles per customer until it sells out, and I strongly urge you to take your limit. It’s a knockout right now and has a long upward trajectory ahead of it!
Jean-Claude and Nicolas Fayolle (second and third generation, respectively) are crafting superb, micro-production Hermitage wines in both rouge and blanc incarnations. Nicolas has been alongside his father since 2003, after obtaining a viticulture-enology degree in Mâcon. Previously, Nicolas’ grandfather, who founded of the estate in 1958, was tending to apricots in these rows, not grapes. Jean-Claude slowly began the conversion as the estate evolved, but it’s odd to imagine, on such a treasured hillside where Syrah grapes are treated as jewels, that anything else would be planted. Today, the Fayolle family’s handful of owned acres are now 100% committed to grape-growing and winemaking.
Their parcel of “Les Dionnières” sits on a soft slope on the eastward continuation of Hermitage’s majestic 1000+-feet hilltop. Syrah vines of approximately 40 years of age are planted in granitic clay soils with a large presence of small pebbles. Due to Fayolle’s lutte raisonnée (‘reasoned fight’) farming philosophy, along with the steep inclines found on Hermitage, they farm and harvest by hand (the lay of the land makes mechanization nearly impossible anyway). After a whole-bunch fermentation with twice-a-day punchdowns, the wine was sent into neutral oak barriques (roughly 8-10 years old) for 15 months. After a light filtering, the wine is bottled, 100% Syrah. Out of the tiny production, most stays in France, some was sold off to négociants, and some of the remainder we squeezed out of its importer so we could offer it to you.
In the glass, Fayolle’s 2015 Dionnières flaunts its youth with a concentrated deep purple core leading out to a dark magenta rim. On the nose, this inky heavyweight reveals itself with fresh aromas of boysenberry, blackberry liqueur, blueberry, black cherry, wild purple flowers, roasted meats, olive tapenade, and subtle spice. Coming in full-bodied, you’ll be met with unmatched density and richness that is directly countered by perfect tension. The lifted acidity here keeps the palate from feeling “weighed down” and the vibrant black and blue core of fruit shines through gracefully. As with other blue-chip Northern Rhône wines, this will reward exponentially the longer you wait, entering its prime at year seven or eight years—though you can expect this to keep for decades if stored properly (some of my favorite aged wines of all time have been 25+-year-old Hermitage). If waiting a quarter-century sounds tiring, please decant as long as possible; I’d advise a minimum 2-3 hours before consuming in large Bordeaux stems. Whichever you choose—waiting or drinking now—I’m confident you’ll be stunned, especially when paired alongside a decadent and flavorful Lamb Biryani. The attached recipe is about as detailed and informative as you can get. Enjoy!
