2023 Faury L’Art Zele Syrah

Importer (Kermit Lynch) Notes: If you want to experience the classic flavors of northern Rhne Syrah, then here is a textbook example. Velvety black fruit coats the palate like a fine pulp, while sensations of cracked pepper and pulverized schist stone provide an incisive, mouth-watering precision that can only be achieved from cool-climate Syrah planted in thin, rocky soil.

The soil in question is mica-schist situated just outside the boundaries of the Cte-Rtie appellation, in a parcel above Ampuis calledlArslie. Unable to blend the fruit into his Cte-Rtie, Lionel Faury has bottled this cuvewhose name, a pun on the vineyard site, translates roughly to zealous artseparately since its inception nearly ten years ago. Now approaching twenty years of age, the vines have their roots firmly entrenched in these rocky soils, resulting in a wine with the depth, nuanced aromatics, and milled-stone minerality of great Cte-Rtieall while maintaining inviting youthful fruit.

Fermented with roughly 50% whole clusters and bottled by gravity without filtration, this cuve conveys the lifted spice, savory, and floral elements that we love about traditional northern Rhne reds. Lionel allows the terroir to express itself to its fullest, making this an ideal point of entry to experience authentic Cte-Rtieeven if officially speaking, it isnt Cte-Rtie at all.