Aurélien Chatagnier

The story of Aurélien Chatagnier began in 2002 with the cultivation of 1.2 ha of country wines. With the help of some fellow winemakers (he was vinifying at Pierre Gaillard), Aurélien Chatagnier expanded the surface area of his estate by gradually replanting vines on fallow family land, particularly in the Saint Joseph appellation, before purchasing new parcels. Today, the vines extend over 8 ha of magmatic rock, among which granite and metamorphic rocks predominate, offering good resistance to erosion on the steep slopes of the vineyard. Aurélien Chatagnier is one of the rising stars of the Northern Rhône, recognized by his peers notably thanks to his Saint-Joseph cuvée "Sybarite", a pure Syrah cuvée on granitic soil, sourced from the commune of Charnas, with a surface area of only 0.25 ha, producing approximately 1,200 bottles per year. This single-parcel selection cuvée is aged in oak barrels for 1 year, two-thirds of which are new wood. A rare cuvée, named after the Greek city of Sybaris, whose definition is: the pursuit of refined pleasures. On the nose, the red Rhône wine opens on beautiful notes of gentle spices, thyme and garrigue. It is advisable to decant it well, as the wine then develops aromas of black olives and smoked bacon, along with notes of black cherry. The palate is extremely silky on the attack yet full of great energy, carried by spicy and cocoa notes, and accompanied by superb juicy and very indulgent fruit. On the white Rhône side, the white St-Joseph is composed of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne. On the nose, the wine reveals notes of dried fruit, apricot, lemongrass and lemon balm, with an airy quality. On the palate, spiced yellow peach (with star anise notes) dominates, yet delivers a beautiful aromatic intensity whose complexity will develop over 2 to 3 years. The Côte Rôtie is subtle yet complex on the nose, with notes of small red and black fruits, pepper, cocoa and menthol. The palate echoes the nose with blackcurrant, black cherry and blueberry alongside spices. The texture is indulgent and silky, stretching lengthily into a fresh and long finish. Finally, the Condrieu presents exotic notes of fresh apricot and floral notes of verbena. Precise on the palate, the texture is ample and rich, yet well-structured, supported by a well-judged acidity that does not weigh down the finish. A clear success in this appellation. An estate to recommend, offering an excellent quality-to-price ratio.

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