La Vrille et la Papillon
Ardèche
Shop Online
-
Meryl & Geraldine Croizier
-
Ardèche
Northern Rhone, France -
Certified Organic
The region of Ardeche lies on the cusp between the Northern and Southern Rhone. On the western bank of the river, nestled up in the hills, it is an affordable and dynamic wine area where an increasing number of young growers work with the same varieties as their better-known neighbour.
La Vrille et le Papillon (the tendril and the butterfly) is located in Valvigneres, the epicenter of the wine scene in Ardeche, and a village known in Roman times as Vallis Vinaria — valley of the wine cellars.
Meryl Crozier's connection to vines and agriculture in Ardeche run deep, his grandparents were vignerons and farmers. At 17 years of age, Meryl spent a harvest working with Gerald and Jocelyne Oustric at Domaine du Mazel, also located in Valvigneres. These siblings are central to the village and history of the Ardeche. Ecological producers for over 20 years, they have been instrumental in the growth and nurturing of new vignerons in the area; Sylvain Bock, Anders Frederik Steen and Andrea Calek to name a few, and have mentored and guided Meryl since those early days.
After several years working in Macon and Madiran, Meryl, his wife Geraldine and their three children, returned home to Valvigineres in 2012. They gained organic certification, stopped selling grapes to the local co-op, and La Vrille et la Papillon was born.
Their verdant 6 hectares of vines comprises Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Ugni Blanc, planted on rocky limestone clay soils.
Reflections during 2020, after successive years of drought and difficult vintages, Meryl and Geraldine made the decision to make some changes for the future. Climate change has had a big impact on the vignerons of the Ardeche.
They slowly began removing some of the older, less productive, Merlot which struggles in extremely hot vintages, and have replanted with Grenache Blanc and Terret Blanc. When they started in 2013, 20% of the vineyards were planted to white grape varietals. Now it is 45% white varieties.
An experimental plot of Couderc Noir, a hybrid variety, has been planted in agroforestry. And another hybrid, Villard Noir, planted in pergola. Biodynamic practices are also now incorporated into their farming.
Vinification is done with indigenous yeasts, the wines are unfiltered and un-fined and produced without any additions, including sulphur.
The Wines
-
Varietal Ugni Blanc
Colour White100% Ugni Blanc directly pressed, rested in tank prior to bottling.
-
Varietal Grenache Blanc / Viognier
Colour Red50% Grenache Blanc, 50% Viognier, overnight maceration prior to pressing, co-fermented.
-
Varietal Grenache Blanc
Colour White100% Grenache Blanc from young vines planted in 2019, the soil limestone clay with pockets of sandstone. Directly pressed and èlevaged in tank.
-
Varietal Grenache
Colour Red100% Grenache, Six days partial carbonic maceration, ferment and élevage in tank.
-
Varietal Syrah
Colour Red100% Shiraz, Six days carbonic maceration, ferment and élevage in tank.
-
Varietal Merlot
Colour Red20% of the Merlot was de-stemmed, the remaining 80% directly pressed slowly. The two components were put together and macerated for 6 days, like an infusion. Élevage for 7 months in tank.
-
Varietal Syrah / Grenache
Colour Red‘Le Bruit des Glaçons’ translates to ‘the noise of the ice’. A cuvee only produced in 2021, it is an homage to the hail hitting the roof and a year of 70% fruit loss.
50% Syrah, 50% Grenache, 5 days maceration, co-fermented and èlevaged in tank.
-
Varietal Syrah / Merlot
Colour Red60% Syrah, 40% Merlot, 7–10 days classic maceration, with a portion of the Syrah in carbonic also, élevaged in old demi-mud for 18 months.
-
Varietal Merlot / Grenache / Cabernet Sauvignon
Colour RedMajority merlot with a small portion of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is an assemblage of the juice of the pressings. Élevaged for 12 months in barrel and 4 years in bottle before release in 2022.