This collaboration was established in 2012 by Anglo-Irishman, Simon Tyrell, Ireland’s leading Rhône importer, and Toulouse-born Charles Derain, previously sommelier to Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV in Paris. They met when Charles moved to Dublin to take up a position with Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. They started looking at acquiring vineyards in the Gard in 2009 with the objective of owning 8 hectares around the higher elevation of the Saint-Gervais plateau within the next couple of years. Everything they own – or intend to purchase – will be either organic or in conversion. In addition, they operate a négociant business to source a wider range of fruit.

This is very much an evolving range of wines. Ô Font (old French for ‘fountain’) is a whole-bunch and foot-trodden field blend of (60%) Grenache, Bourbourlenc, Clairette Rose and some old Terret Noir, raised in old barriques and demi-muid. Alizé is from Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault bought-in from a local grower. It takes its name from a southerly wind that invariably brings sunshine to the region. Le Retour is a parcel of old-vine Cinsault discovered in Faugères. La Traversée is so called since the purchased grapes come from the opposite side the Rhône in the Drôme. The Chemin des Fonts is from their own fruit and sits below a natural spring in the vineyard. It’s a blend of 80% Grenache with 10% Carignan plus Syrah, Bourboulenc and Clairette Blanc. The wine is raised in older wood and tank.

www.lesdeuxcols.com

Red

2018 ‘Ô Font’ Vin de France	fiche
2018 ‘Alizé’ Côtes du Rhône	fiche
2018 ‘Le Retour’ Vin de France	fiche
2017 ‘La Traverseé’ Côtes du Rhône Villages (organic)	fiche
2018 ‘Chemin des Fonts’ Côtes du Rhône	fiche