Mallory's Staff Pick - Thomas Julien 'Sur le Fil' Rouge

Thomas Julien 'Sur le Fil' Rouge 2021

Region: Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France
Grape(s): 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Drinks Best: Now

Mallory's Notes:

Thomas Jullien is a third-generation winemaker who was born and raised at the base of Mont Ventoux in Provence.  His father was a pioneer of organic winemaking in the 1990’s and passed the baton to Thomas in 2004 when he took over La Ferme Saint Martin, their family estate in the Southern Rhône Valley. In 2017 he was given the opportunity to make wine from their neighbor’s organic and biodynamically grown fruit. Since then, he has been producing delicious natural wines under his eponymous label. He takes a minimal intervention approach in the cellar using only indigenous yeasts during fermentation and adding minimal sulfur at bottling. He even plays music throughout the winery from September to June to ‘raise up the soul’ of his wines. 

This is the quintessential summer red for me with bright, perfumed aromas of orange zest, cherry, rose petals, and a rocky minerality with a light, juicy palate of raspberry, savory earth, and plenty of floral notes with vibrant acidity and soft tannins. This bottle is great with a chill if that’s your vibe!

What's Cooking?

Steak sandwich slathered with pesto aioli and topped with gruyere, arugula, and red onions.

What do I like to drink?

I bring home a lot of rosé during the spring and summer months, tis’ the season! Light and fruity or darker and more savory, I like them all! When I want to switch it up I like to enjoy crisp whites from island regions like Sicily or Sardinia, as well as lighter, fresher orange wines.