Les Vins de Vienne, Sotanum 2015

The history of the Seyssuel vineyard is closely linked to that of the wines of Vienne: their existence and their notoriety date back to the time of the Roman Empire. In his writings, Pliny the Elder indicates that a black grape plant, called Vitis allobrogica, grown in the territory of Vienna, gives three crus: Sotanum, Taburnum and Heluicum depending on the terroir. Remaining very popular until the end of the 19th century, the Seyssuel vineyard was destroyed by phylloxera. The slopes will remain abandoned until 1996, despite a few attempts at restoration. 

Harvest: partially scratched. Filling of the press by gravity. Vinification: traditional two to three weeks at low temperature with indigenous yeasts Pigeage and pumping over. Ageing: 16 months in French oak barrels.

Yves Cuilleron started out as a winegrower in 1987. In 1988, Francois Villard asked Yves to take him on for an internship. He did the harvests in 1988 and 1989. When Francois came to live not far from Yves in 1989, they continued to see one another, played football together and really became friends. As for Pierre Gaillard, they knew him like many other winegrowers, but no more than that. But Yves also sent Francois to do an internship with Pierre, because he liked the wine he made. Francois and Pierre became friends too and the three winegrowers then began to form an amicable trio.

They began with 4 hectares and found a large building in Seyssuel, which they fitted out with temperature-control, vats, presses, etc. To pay off these investments, they had the idea of setting up a small, quality wine trade firm, because they wanted to retain their sense of being craftsmen winegrowers. They started by buying small quantities of grapes per appellation of the Rhone Valley.

Faced with the three winegrowers' production and maturation demands, Les Vins de Vienne are installed in spacious, new buildings since 2009. Alongside a modern vat house and cellar totally dedicated to maturation in barrels, a wine tasting cellar with a shop is opened .

Now the amicable trio produce no less than 40+ fantastic wines from different appellations up and down the Rhone Valley.