The 35-year old Julien Pilon from Chavanay (one of the seven AOC Condrieu municipalities) is a newcomer who has been making considerable headway in the Northern Rhône arena. After studying oenology, working for ten years, and travelling the world, Pilon decided on a career in wine (instead of rugby) . He was looking for a domaine of his own, but without family connections, this involves considerable time and money. He decided to specialize in the production of white Northern Rhône wines as a small ‘producteur-négociant’. Strategically, it was a smart choice, given the growing popularity of white Rhône wines around the world, and Julien’s talent as a winemaker. He whisks the grapes right out from under the noses of the négociants simply by paying the growers better and faster.In addition to having Guilleron, Gaillard and Villa (respected producers from the Northern Rhône) as his mentors, Pilon has a clear preference for fermentation in barriques. This is a technique that he is exceptionally good at. ‘Masterly’ according to Lars Daniels’s findings during the Découvertes 2015.Pilon’s wines have concentration and an appealing freshness, and are almost Burgundian in style, with finesse and interesting tension. This is true of the wines in my Pilon introductory year 2013 (not a sublime year for whites from the Rhône), and even more so of the excellent white Rhône year, 2014. In addition to the winemaker’s signature style, you can clearly taste the origin of the wines. A super addition to the portfolio, and we hope to secure an annual allocation of all his wines.