Cave Yves Cuilleron

Yves Cuilleron is something of a reluctant Superstar.

He recalls that he always loved good food and wine and though his family had run the estate for generations before him, he didn't really think he'd ever be the one to take it on.

Established by his grandfather in 1920, the estate was three and a half hectares in Chavanay, encompassing vines in the Condrieu and Saint-Joseph appellations. In 1947 the estate began selling its own bottled wines for the first time. Before this, his grandfather had made a living selling sweets! In 1960 Antoine Cuilleron, Yves' uncle, took ownership of the winery. When he wanted to retire in 1987, Yves' parents considered selling the estate because there was no successor lined-up...

Yves had always planned on being a mechanic. His uncle had the winery and his cousins were the likely heirs, so it wasn't something he thought about. He did his military service in Alsace and, just when he returned, his uncle was at the point of retiring. Yves returned having had wonderful experiences in Alsatian wineries with his friends, tasting wide-ranging cuisine and very fine wines. Unsure of how to progress and combine his passion with a professional plan, he had one clear image which was that he should at least try and run the winery to see if its sale could be prevented. His idea worked amazingly well, of course, but not without a massive investment of time and energy. He retrained and studied and did apprenticeships in other wineries, all at the same time as running the operations at the winery. Hard work.

The real hard work, however, was maintaining the commitment to quality in the vineyards: he rejects rejects “off-the-shelf ideas”. He doesn't care much for names, either. Therefore he is not conventional, not organic, and not biodynamic. He philosophy transcends this and is very simple: “Grow the best possible grapes.”

The vines of the northern Rhone are almost impossible to farm mechanically (not that he would if he could), so the manual process keeps a human eye on the vines at all time. He calls is management by “haute couture”... Low vine growth, leaf-thinning and green harvesting through the growing season allow maximum ventilation around the bunches, reducing disease occurrence and improving grape quality. Minimal treatment, manual handling and an unconstrained search for the best grapes at harvest. It seems to have done him very well indeed.

Today, he is widely regarded as one of the very top producers in the Northern Rhone. He is part of charity organisations for the promotion of lesser-known regions, he is a third of the partnership that makes up the phenomenal Vins de Viennes, and has been gradually increasing the land-owning of the winery itself. His passion for the territory has extended to history and he is at the forefront of schemes to replant and reintroduce forgotten grape varieties to the region.

This is a man to take seriously, not because he is hard and intense, but because his hard work has produced such brilliant and intensely enjoyable wines.

We've always loved these wines and the quality:price ratio is consistently off the charts.

Cave Yves Cuilleron

Customer reviews

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I ordered some sparkling Cava from Chris which arrived so promptly! A really delicate delicious wine that I haven't seen anywhere else. A great selection of quality wines at really good prices!
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I must say the wine list here is amazing. Top quality and what I like the most is a rich info on every presented bottle. Pure example when someone puts their heart and knowledge into it. I had a few Burgundy ones and they were delicious! Superb packaging and delivery as well.
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Kate W.
Hi, I'm Chris Gifford.

Welcome to The Allotment Wine Co.

When you buy wines from The Allotment Wine Co. you're supporting a small Irish business which in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers, as well as other small, dedicated Irish wine importers.

When selecting wines, I look for partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.