Our tasting impressions
Buckle up folks, this is is going to rock your world! We have been enjoying Pichon's Rozier for more than 10 years. That span covers some superb wines and stellar vintages. The 2022 is quite possibly the greatest young Rozier we have ever encountered. The Vigonier is 2% less than last year and that, along with heartier vintage translates to a much more masculine wine with incredible depth. The savoriness of this wine is sensational and must be tasted to be believed. But don't think for a minute that this is a brute. The fruit is luscious and super-charged with energy. It's an absolute delight already but it's almost impossible to fathom how much this has in store for us in the years ahead. GRAND VIN!
About this wine
92% Syrah and 8% Viognier from vines in a half hectare plot of .75ha in the single vineyard of Rozier, planted in 1966. Schist soil is on steep southwest facing slopes - so severe, only a horse can plow it. The handpicked grapes with yields of 42 hl/ha are de-stemmed and pneumatically pressed.
Fermentation is over 28 days in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with pumping over and punching down twice a day. Aging is for 14 months in new oak barrels. 4,000 bottles produced
About the grape
Syrah is the sixth most planted grape worldwide. It thrives on steep slopes because of the dry climate and soil that enable deep root penetration. The grapes are small and dark-skinned high in acid and tannins.
About the vintage
Overall this is an excellent vintage. Extreme weather has become commonplace and 2022 in the Northern Rhône was no exception. Searing temperatures and a dearth of rain could have spelled trouble for the vignerons, but some June rain and August humidity were beneficial. The harvest was, on average, about 20 days earlier than 2021.
The Pichon family is a growing force in the Northern Rhône region. Corentin, the eldest of the six children of Isabelle and Christophe, is a young, talented, 3rd generation winemaker. But this is every bit the family business as all of his 5 siblings are involved, along with Corentin's partner and mom and dad.
Based in Chavanay, the Pichons produce wines of elegance and finesse in a variety of appellations spanning more than 20 hectares. Chemical treatment of the mostly Syrah and Viognier vineyards is kept to a bare minimum. In addition to those from their own vines, they also purchase grapes for other wines.
VDLT has been visiting the Pichons for many years and is proud to include them as a foundation of the portfolio.
