IGP Alpilles Rouge by Domaine de Trévallon 2021

Along with Tempier and Château Simone, Domaine de Trévallon stands out as one of the great, long-aging, and truly noble wines of Provence. When Jacqueline and René Dürrbach bought the Provence property in 1950, it was surrounded by scrubland. René was an artist and friend of Picasso – a mark that is still felt keenly today on the labels and in the domaine’s architecture. Their son, the late Eloi, planted vines on the land in 1973 - a long-held ambition of his father – and the first vintage made was 1977. Though Eloi believed in the wines he was producing from the beginning, they struggled to sell until Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée Conti visited and tasted the wines, recommending importers who could sell the wine around the world. Robert Parker went on to call it “one of the greatest discoveries of my career,” and despite his chequered opinion of the wines from then on, the wines were in demand.

Together, you can witness the fineness, elegance, and harmony that are Trévallon's calling cards. There's a nicely judged wildness to the wine that imbues it with an extra dimension of mystery, soulfulness, and complexity. Between the length, concentration, and balance, it's easy to see Trévallon's 2020 aging beautifully. It's always nice to be able to offer a wine with such a track record for aging and such an individual personality. Since Eloi's passing, it will likely be very difficult to source the 2020, but it is well worth seeking out.