Domaine de la Roche Paradis

Yann Menager is the owner and winemaker for this small domain, established in 2012 and based in Saint-Joseph, just south of Condrieu. He was the vineyard manager for Yves Cuilleron for almost 20 years and has leveraged his knowledge of the great sites of the northern Rhône to acquire some superb vineyard parcels of his own. Over the last decade he has assembled 6.5 ha in Saint-Joseph, Condrieu and Côte Rôtie.

The vineyards are all managed organically with no herbicides used, picking is done by hand and yields are kept low at around 35 hL/ha or less (maximum yield allowed for Saint Joseph is 40 hl/ha). The wines are made at Yann’s small stone winery in the tiny hamlet of Champailler, located very high above the vineyards of Saint Joseph at 798 m elevation (no vines at this elevation here - mostly just mixed farms of cows sheep and goats) and just below the aptly named Roche Paradis.

All the wines undergo natural ferment and natural malolactic conversion (including for white wines). The whites are whole-bunch pressed for maximum finesse and the reds all see 30-60 % whole bunches in the ferment. Larger barrels and demi-muids are increasingly being used with some 400 litre Syvlain barrels. All the wines are bottled un-fined and unfiltered.

Yann’s goal is to make the wines as simply as possible, with minimum intervention and a focus on purity. The result is a small range of wines that show superb energy and balance, with a freshness and finesse that harks back to the days before super-extraction and lots of new oak became de-rigueur in the Northern Rhône. These are beautifully fresh and fine terroir driven wines that speak of the granite and schist soils they are grown in. Needless to say they will remain an insiders’ secret as very little gets exported. Indeed most of the wines are consumed in some of the best restaurants of the region in Lyon and nearby and Yann does not seek reviews and points to sell these wines making them a perfect fit for Vintage & Vine.

‘Having been a great admirer of the finest wines of the Rhone Valley since the early 1980s, in 1997 I visited the region and sought to discover the wines of Yves Cuilleron who at that time was largely unknown and he farmed just 6.5 ha. After knocking on the door of his cellar Yves opened the door and invited me to taste and so I chose a selection of his fine and impressive wines to immediately ship to Australia. So it seems very fitting to introduce the wines of Cuilleron’s young friend and protege Yann Menager to the Australian market more than 20 years later. I feel just as excited and even more sure about the quality of the discovery of this tiny estate as I did more than 20 years ago. I have the family from Mont-Redon to thank for this wonderful introduction as the tiny quantities of wine produced here mean these wines will never be easy to find. Quantities will always remain very limited and confidential as Yann wants to keep a tight reign on his vineyard work and similar to PYCM he aims to produce wines of 5-10 barrels per cuvee to ensure the highest quality. Fastidiously careful selection of terroir has been the cornerstone of this very small fine estate. His cellars are located high above the vineyards of Saint Joseph in a small farmhouse that he is renovating which forms part of a polyculture farm. The small size of the buildings and remote location necessitate that this estate will remain very confidential.’ David Burkitt, Founder and Principal, Vintage and Vine.

WINE NOTES AND REVIEWS

2022 Condrieu Veauvignière
Produced from vines planted 1990 in a small south facing amphitheatre near Malleval right not far from the famous Lys de Volan site formerly owned by Gerard Depardieu and Alain Paret (Guigal recently bought half of Lys de Volan). The soil here is granitic migmatite leococrate which imparts wonderful freshness and texture to the wine. Matured for 8 months in older barriques this wine shows the fresher and more mineral style of Condrieu (13.5% alc). Only 250 dozen produced.

2022 Saint-Joseph blanc Les Vessettes
A field blend, produced from 50% Marsanne (planted mid 1950’s) and 50% Roussanne (younger vines) planted in decomposed granitic soil at Les Vessettes on the slope above the town of Chavanay. Fermented with natural yeasts in barrique with no battonage and bottled after malo to retain the freshness imparted by the granite soils. Only 355 dozen produced. A richer style of Saint Joseph blanc which retains good freshness and acidity and balance. Outstanding in 2022.

2022 Saint-Joseph rouge La Bergerie
100% Syrah from 20 year old vines also from the lieu-dit of Les Vessettes on decomposed granite above the town of Chavanay. The wine was fermented with about 40% whole bunches to produce an elegant floral style of Syrah. Easily the richest and most impressive vintage we have tasted of this wine yet kept on skins for just 2 weeks before cuvaison. Matured in older barriques for 12 months before bottling without fining or filtration. 800 dozen produced. Brilliant wine in 2022 with more depth and structure than previously and will age well too.

2022 Saint-Joseph rouge La Madone 750m + magnums
La Madonne is a small but spectacularly steep granite vineyard right beside the medieval village of Malleval. Facing due south from vines planted mid 1950’s which yield an impressively concentrated yet mineral and very detailed Syrah. The 2022 wine was fermented with about 70% whole bunches and then matured for 12 months in older barriques. More fragrant yet also richer and denser than the Bergerie this wine has incredibly fine tannins with impressive depth and structure. It finishes very long with seductive velvety tannins and that trademark freshness and finesse. Only 7 barrels produced. An absolute stand-out wine.

2022 Côte Rôtie Rozier 750m + magnums - last few magnums available of 2020
Made from 100% Syrah in the lieu-dit of Rozier (Côte Brune) with a perfect south-west exposition from vines planted 1998. The 2022 wine was fermented with about 70% whole bunches and then matured for 13 months in 1, 2 and 3 year-old barriques. A very fresh and aromatic style of Côte Rôtie from soils of schist and brown, iron oxide-rich clay on this superb site. How great Côte Rôtie used to be, elegant and perfumed, with lovely mid-palate volume and a long complex finish, framed by fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity. Only 5 barrels produced.

the following wines bottled 2024 for release April for Condrieu Verlieu and 2025 for Cote Rotie Planeze

2022 Condrieu Verlieu - due late 2024
Just 2 barrels made from the first vintage made from vines in this prime location in the village of Saint Michel-sure-Rhone just south of Chateau Grillet. The soil here is granitic mica-schist (like Chateau Grillet) which imparts wonderful freshness and texture to the wine. Barrel fermented and matured for 15 months in 2 older barriques this wine shows great texture while still retaining the freshness and minerality of the finest Condrieu. Only 50 dozen produced.

2022 Côte Rôtie Planeze - due for release 2025
First vintage of this new cuvee made from 50% Petite Serine and 50% Syrah in the lieu-dit of Planeze (Côte Brune) in the far north of the appellation in the village of Saint Cyr sur le Rhone with an east south-east exposition. The wine was fermented with about 30% whole bunches and then matured for 18 months in 1, 2 and 3 year-old barriques and then for 6 months in tank to blend all the barrels together and spend more time on fine lees. A very fresh and aromatic style of Côte Rôtie from mica-schist soil on this cooler northern site. This wine shows a more exotic side with great perfume and excellent richness and depth together with excellent freshness and lower alcohol from the Petite Serine. Tiny production - more details to follow when the wine has finished its ageing. Super attractive already - we will be buying as much as we can get when this is released.