Wine to Die for

Fabien Lombard shows off  his wines

I really like travelling through lesser known wine regions in France. There are many, and a lifetime would not be long enough to explore them all. But you can find them almost anywhere the fancy takes you on your journey. Just leave the motorway and look around, having glanced at your favourite wine atlas, and discover some real gems.

There is an area to the east of the A7 between Loriol and Montelimar which is not as renowned as the great appellations to the north towards Lyon or to the south towards Orange, nor as up and coming as those to the west of the Rhône. It is home to the once fabled Brézème appellation mentioned by Cyrus Redding in his History and Description of Modern Wines (1851), and eastwards along the valley of the Drôme to the ancient town of Die, famous for Clairette de Die (a low-alcohol fruity sparkling wine based mainly on Muscat nowadays). There is also a micro appellation known as Coteaux de Die in which the local Clairette grape is used to make a still white wine.

On one of these aimless wanderings we happened on the fine vista of an amphitheatre of hills surrounding a picturesque village where peach trees alternate with vines in the fields. Having parked the car, a short circular walk from the village of Suze-sur-Crest led us to a local vineyard by the name of Domaine de Peylong owned by Christelle and Fabien Lombard who cultivate organically about 2.5 hectares of vines.

In an area better known for its sparking Clairette de Die, Christelle and Fabien have eschewed this well worn path to produce some notable still wines from the white and red grapes of their property. Both oenologists, the talk around their kitchen table is of blends and how best to make the Syrah or the Cabernet Sauvignon (rare in these parts) stand out, or how long the wines will mature in barrel.

The originality doesn’t begin and end in the winery; the viticulture is original too, with many of their vines staked individually (the ‘échalas’ technique mainly seen only in the holy grail vineyards of the northern Rhone valley). The results are, to say the least, very pleasing: the blending of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Inespéré 2008 is perfect for those seeking a wine out of the ordinary.  I particularly appreciate their white wines based on Clairette with their delicate floral quality. What makes all these wines stand out is their freshness. This is due possibly to the fact that some of the vines are sited on north west facing slopes.

No matter what the wines are like there is a feeling of calm contentment and the satisfaction of a job well done which emanates from these winemakers. You would be happy to join them but alas you will have to be content with tasting the wines. These are wines that you have to head towards Die to find, and indeed perhaps, as the saying goes, to die for.

Domaine de Peylong 26 Suze-sur-Crest http://www.peylong.com/