Lionel Faury

The Faury family story begins in the 1950s when Jean Faury settled in the hamlet of Ribaudy, on the heights of the village of Chavanay. He began growing fruit trees, vines and raising animals after World War II. Back then, the wines were sold in bulk to coal miners in the region of Saint-Étienne. The estate sits in the northern extremity of the Saint-Joseph appellation, on the commune of Chavanay, where east and south-facing vineyards are arranged in dry stone terraces on granite soils with muscovite, formed from the erosion of the Massif Central.

Philippe succeeded his father in 1979, investing his energies in the vineyards and wine and abandoning the fruit trees. He bottled the first vintage that year and developed the domaine by investing in steep terroirs where wine quality was superior. He built winemaking and aging facilities to have quality production tools. Philippe increased holdings to over 11 hectares and began selling internationally. Today the estate spans 17 hectares spread between the red and white appellations of Saint-Joseph, Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie and Vin de Pays.

Lionel took over management of the estate at age 23, learning from his father the art of winegrowing. Since 2006, Lionel has taken over the reins, though father and son still work side by side. His approach focuses on responsible and virtuous viticulture where wines combine power, finesse and balance. He preserves freshness and acidity by keeping more leaves on the vines for shade, pursuing shorter macerations and more whole-cluster fermentation than before. He de-stems about 70% of grapes on average, using a pneumatic press and temperature control, and punches down the cap by foot. He avoids new oak as he feels it would overpower the delicate nuances of his wines.

The domaine produces wines across the northern Rhône's prestigious appellations. Les Ribaudes Saint-Joseph shows vibrant, juicy character with peppery spice and earthy minerality from granite terroir. The old-vine cuvée comes from the famed Le Blanchard parcel at the northern tip of Saint-Joseph. The Condrieu delivers delicate hints of wildflowers, lychee and stone fruits, never overbearing but always refreshing. The IGP Collines Rhodaniennes from Syrah vines sits on the plateau overlooking the Rhône at slightly higher altitude, offering terrific value. The Saint-Joseph Blanc is roughly 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, mostly aged in tank to preserve freshness, with a little oak for opulence. The estate also produces Côte-Rôtie, including the Emporium cuvée sourced exclusively from the Fourvier lieu-dit.