Michel Chapoutier pioneered micro-vinification of single vineyard sites in the Northern Rhône in the 1980s, making cuvées which express their terroir.  This was no small matter in a region where it was traditional to blend fruit from different parcels, to achieve a balanced, 'harmonious' wine.  An analogy would be if Lafite-Rothschild suddenly opted to release six different wines, each from a different plot of vines.

The highlights of the Sélections Parcellaires range are without doubt the Hermitages. 'L'Ermite' is from vines surrounding the Hermitage chapel itself (surprisingly, Jaboulet's 'La Chapelle' comes from vines further away from the chapel).  Fewer than 400 cases are made each year.  Le Pavillon comes from vines averaging 100 years of age, with fewer than 600 cases made.  Le Méal is the warmest of the three parcels, producing wines with profound depth of fruit. 

Less familiar to many will be the white Hermitages; rich, honeyed and mineral wines.  We urge you to compare their relative rarity and pricing with white burgundy from some of the top domaines.  For Matt Walls, the white wines are a standout success in 2020.

Saint-Josephs 'Les Granits' and 'Le Clos may be from a humbler appellation, but they regularly achieve scores to equal the best Hermitages.  The Côte-Roties 'Mordorée' and 'Neve' are from 100% Syrah vines, on the edge of the 'Côte Blonde', both brilliant and relatively affordable introductions to the Selection Parcellaires.  

In the Southern Rhone, the Châteauneuf-du-Papes 'Barbe Rac' and 'Croix de Bois' are similarly purist, made from 100% Grenache from exceptionally low-yielding vines up to 100 years of age and have wonderful aromatic complexity and minerality.