Patrick Rigoulet, wine director, Ferraton Père & Fils
Travel may be tricky at this time but I recently took my palate on a journey to the Rhône Valley, in the south of France, with the wines of Ferraton Père & Fils. Founded in 1946, in 1998 Ferraton partnered with world-renowned winemaker Michel Chapoutier, who led their transition to biodynamic viticulture. I recently went behind the label of Ferraton in a lively Instagram Live conversation with wine director, Patrick Rigoulet. Patrick obtained his master’s degree in wine business management from the Burgundy Business School and joined the team at Ferraton Père & Fils in 2015.
Watch our chat and wine tasting by clicking the video above, or by visiting IGTV or YouTube. 100% Syrah blended from different vineyard plots, ripe but not jammy, with plump black fruit flavors and kicky spice.
During our conversation, Patrick and I tasted two of Ferraton's wonderful 100% Syrah wines: Ferraton Crozes-Hermitage Calendes 2016 ($35) and the single-vineyard Ferraton St-Joseph Lieu-Dit Bonneveau 2016 ($55). Both wines beautifully express Ferraton's commitment to crafting wines that are true expressions of terroir, including the granite soils which imbue their Syrah with so much character. Patrick also shared a useful overview of the geography and terroir of the Rhône Valley, describes why Syrah from this region is so highly-regarded, and extols the food pairing versatility of Syrah. A richer and more intense expression of Syrah, this single-vineyard wine has flavors of luscious black & red fruits, delicate tannins, spice, herbs, and minerality.
Visit the Ferraton or Sera Wine Imports websites to learn more about their full portfolio of wines.
