Bastien Jolivet "Cuvée de Louis"

Vin de France | 2022

Bastien Jolivet farms in the northern reaches of the Rhône, around Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, where steep hillsides, granitic soils, and cooler exposures give his wines a distinctly lifted, mountain-grown character. After taking over his family’s estate in 2014, Bastien shifted its focus from selling fruit to the local cooperative to producing estate-bottled wines that express the character of their vineyards. Over the past decade, he has steadily expanded the domaine and now farms 13 hectares organically. His “Cuvée de Louis” comes from vines in Lemps, just outside the Saint-Joseph appellation, and is named for the grower from whom Bastien acquired these parcels.

Here at Le Midi we are always on the lookout for quality Rhône varietal white wines. The 2022 is a generous yet beautifully composed blend of Roussanne and Viognier, fermented in stainless steel and aged partly in large oak casks. It has the golden-fruited richness one expects from these varieties—apricot, pear, honeysuckle, and a touch of almond—but the high-elevation site keeps everything fresh, stony, and precise. A lovely northern Rhône white for anyone who likes texture, perfume, and quiet elegance.