Julien Pilon ‘Rue des Poissonniers, Paris XVIIIe’, Saint Joseph, Rhône Valley 2019

• Winemaker: Julien Pilon
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Variety: Syrah
• Terroir: The Saint-Joseph soil consists mainly of granite but also gneiss and complex, acidic granite, mostly in the southern part of the region, which affects wine production. The vineyards are planted largely on terraces to ensure that the grapes receive enough sunlight and have access to adequate drainage, which can be achieved using natural and environmentally-friendly agricultural methods.
• Vinification: Hand-harvested Syrah grapes are fully destemmed and manually crushed. Fermentation takes place over three weeks in open-top stainless casks. Frequent pump-overs. 10% new French oak.
• Aging: 12 months in barrel
• Tasting Note: A rich and creamy St. Joseph wine that dances with red fruits and spice in tandem. Muscular and svelte with a sturdy foundation. The wine is simultaneously plush with fresh flavors, and brooding with potpourri and granite.

From our 2023 Bottle Club Notes:

Julien Pilon Rue des Poissonniers, Paris XVIIIe, Saint Joseph, Rhône Valley, France 2019

Julien Pilon traveled a long road to become a self-made man in the Rhone Valley. After years of making wine under the tutelage of southern France's most lauded vintners, Julien sought to find his own land to farm in his native northern Rhone. But in a wine region where many have a generational stake in the land, pricing was prohibitive to the newcomer, and in 2010 he eventually settled on purchasing grapes in exchange for work. While vinifying tiny lots in his parent's garage, Julien grew his name by focusing on terroir-driven wines made with care and precision. Soon after, he met a neighboring winegrower in Condrieu who allowed him to use his cellar space and grow his production.

Nearly ten years later, in 2020, Julien had finally raised enough capital to start construction on a winery of his own, and today has amassed a small handful of his own vines while continuing to produce white and red wines from other trusted vineyard sources throughout the Rhone Valley. His red wines capture the most delicious and satisfying components of Northern Rhone Syrah.

The Saint Joseph rouge featured for June's Bottle of the Month club is a powerhouse. It's made from 100% Syrah that has grown in granite-sand vineyard plots throughout Saint Joseph, which is the southernmost village of the northern Rhône territory. Intense color, with rich expressions of ripe plums, fresh mission figs, olive tapenade, and hints of chicory coffee, the wine is full and brooding. Julien ferments it in stainless steel, choosing to destem the fruit in order to create a slightly softer expression of Syrah. He then finished the wine in a barrel for 12 months, applying just a hint of new oak to create a slight amount of chew and grip on the wine. It's the perfect pairing for a patiently braised brisket, or some smoked pork ribs during a summer barbecue.
— Simi Grewal