Domaine Stephan
Natural wines are a rarity in Côte-Rôtie and those of Jean-Michel Stephan are of exceptional quality. Jean-Michel started in 1991 when he took over 3 hectares of vines to settle is own domaine, with his first vintage being 1994. Today his vineyard is 6 hectares (1.5 hectares being his own vines) among which 4.5 are on the Côte-Rôtie appellation. His biggest plot is located on the slopes of Bassenon while the rest is spread between Tupin, les Bercheries and Verenay. Jean-Michel puts a lot of effort in preserving the fruit’s freshness and elegance and his wines are among the most sought-after in the region.
The vines are farmed organically with biodynamic inspirations. From the beginning, Jean-Michel never used any chemicals in both the vineyard and the cellar and all the new plantations he made have been done with a massal selection of Serine.
Fermentations start with indigenous yeasts and all is done as natural as possible. The wines undergo a carbonic maceration and extractions are cold and very gentle with no punching down. Wines are then aged for 12 to 24 months in old barrels. They’re never fined or filtered. No sulfur is added at any time.
Style of wine
Region: Vallée du Rhône
Appellation: Côte-Rotie
Vineyard: 6 hectares
Varieties grown: Syrah, Viognier
Agriculture: Organic
The wines are amazingly fresh and elegant. Although the wines can be reduced when opening the bottle, this quickly fade with aeration to give space to a stunning fruit expression.
Emile Beyer . Meyer . Mélanie Pfister . Les Bertrand . Bonnet-Cotton . Louis-Claude Desvignes . Belle Grange . Fleur Ursuline . Berthaut-Gerbet . Athénais de Beru . Briday . Henri et Gilles Buisson . Burguet . Castagnier . Coillot . Duplessis . Forest . Garrey . Thierry Glantenay . Goisot . Godier . Armand Heitz . Hubert Lamy . Lejeune . Loichet . Mallard et Fils . Marchand-Grillot . Olivier Merlin . Chateau de Monthelie . Olivier Morin . Parigot . Luc et Lise Pavelot . Picq et Fils . Robert Denogent . Sainte-Barbe . Sarrazin et Fils . Serrigny . Violot-Guillemard . Joseph Voillot . Pierre Brocard . Doyard . Huré Frères . Sandrin . Leccia . Caves du Vieux Mont . Ganevat . Barthassade . Castelneau . Langlade . Famille Fabre . Mas du Novi . Mouscaillo . Domaine du Possible . Terrasse d'Elise . Vaisse . Martinette . Henri Milan . Ardoisières . Bonnard . Andre et Michel Quenard . Le Cédre . Clos Troteligotte . Bonnigal-Bodet . Chidaine . Croix Melier . Clos de la Frelonnerie . Giraudon . Huards . Michaud . Roger Neveu . Henry Pelle . Remoortere . Claude Riffault . Rocher des Violettes . Wilfrid Rousse . Vignes Saint Vincent . Philippe Alliet . Bois de Boursan . Henri Bonneau . Cecillon . Chatagnier . Coursodon . D'ourea . Darnaud . Duclaux . Durieu . Guillaume Gilles . Pilon. Raspail-Ay . Richaud . Santa-Duc . Stephan . Alaryk