2021 Domaine Julien Cecillon Saint-Péray "Gémini", Rhone Valley, France
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ABOUT THIS WINE
Like all of the cuvée names, this one has a very personal history. 2014 was the first year that Nancy Kerschen and Julien Cecillon produced this wine, and it was also the year that they had twin girls (who were supposed to be born in mid-June). According to Nancy, “We had a deadline for ordering our labels, and we did so when I was pregnant with certainty that they'd be born under the Gemini (twin star) sign. As it turns out they were born Cancers, which didn't have a nice ring to the cuvée, so we kept the Gemini labels.”
This cuvée contains 70% Marsanne and 30% Roussane and comes from two vineyard parcels measuring approximately .53 hectares: 'Lieux-dit-Abeylesse' and 'Amour de Dieu.' This parcels were planted in the 1980s and 1990 and consists of clay and limestone soils.
Hand Harvested. Fermentation takes place in barrels with light lees stirring. Aged in barrel (10% new oak) for 11 months. Minor bentonite fining and tangentiel filtration. Vegan.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
While the Cecillon label only recently began, Julien’s family has been documented making wine in Tournon for eleven generations. Today, Julien and his wife are dedicated to producing exceptional terroir-driven wines at their small winery, which is located near Tournon, in the historic center of the Rhône Valley.
Julien Cecillon grew up in Tournon-sur-Rhône, surrounded by the maternal branch of the family that includes iconic producers such as his cousin, Bernard Faurie, and uncle Jean-Louis Grippat. After meeting Nancy Kerschen while working at a winery in California, the two decided to return to Tournon and create their own estate. Acquiring small parcels by chance, opportunity, and perseverance, Julien and Nancy have worked together with tireless focus to craft wines that establish their own reputation amongst the best producers in the Northern Rhône. Though they are running the winery on their own, the couple certainly benefits from the guidance of Julien’s winemaking heritage. Jean-Louis Grippat, now retired, can be called on for advice, and loves to ride his bicycle past his nephew’s vines to verify that all the vineyard work is timely and proper.
Julien and Nancy farm estate parcels in the appellations of Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage, as well as two hectares of Viognier and Gamay further into the Ardèche hills near the village of Ardoix, which are classified as Vin de France. To broaden the range of wines, they also work with local growers to produce several micro-négociant cuvées. All of the wines at the domaine are produced with native yeasts and are aged primarily in used barrels to create harmonious, balanced wines that highlight the unique terroirs of the Northern Rhône.