2024 Yves Cuilleron Marsanne Les Vignes d’à Côté, Northern Rhone

The granite slopes of the Northern Rhône provide the perfect stage for Yves Cuilleron's expressive Marsanne, where steep terraced vineyards capture maximum sunlight while benefiting from the Rhône Valley's continental climate. Cuilleron's expertise with white Rhône varieties shines in this cuvée from carefully selected parcels that showcase Marsanne's ability to combine power with finesse. The 2024 vintage delivered ideal conditions across the Northern Rhône, allowing the grapes to achieve full phenolic ripeness while retaining the crisp acidity that gives these wines their distinctive character and aging potential.

Pale gold with green reflections, the wine opens with compelling aromatics: white peach, pear and quince mingle with acacia honey, almonds and subtle mineral notes. There's an appealing herbal complexity emerging, hints of chamomile, dried herbs and white flowers that speak to the granite terroir, while delicate notes of beeswax, lanolin and wet stone add textural intrigue. The palate is medium to full bodied with rich, glycerous mouthfeel, offering concentrated stone fruit flavors of apricot, nectarine and golden apple over well integrated acidity. The mineral backbone provides structure and length, carrying a persistent finish marked by citrus zest, spice and stony minerality.

Pair with Vietnamese fish curry with lemongrass and coconut, where the wine's richness balances the aromatic spices beautifully, or try Lebanese fattoush with sumac and pomegranate that echoes its herbal notes. The Marsanne works wonderfully with Thai green papaya salad with dried shrimp, Peruvian ceviche with tiger's milk and sweet potato, or Indian tandoori prawns with mint chutney. Sichuan mapo tofu with fermented black beans, Tunisian brik pastry with egg and tuna, or Georgian khachapuri with cheese and herbs provide exciting companions for this mineral driven Northern Rhône expression.