Xavier Vignon wines

[Jenise]

Until about a year ago, this was not a name I'd come across that I could recall. Then one night I ordered a Rhone wine in a restaurant, and they brought an Xavier Vignon wine instead. I got a taste of it before I sent it back, seemed rather modern and extracted. The name stuck with me because of what the server said when she took it away, that "Oh, I just thought you ordered this because everybody orders it, it's our most popular wine." Since then the name pops up all the time, and I've had two offers in just the past week. I get the feeling he's another Michel Rolland type. I realize the professional comparison fits, but don't know if his winemaking style does too. Opinions?

[David M. Bueker]

Never heard of him. Would like to use his name in Scrabble.

I had his basic negoce CdP several years ago, it was cheap at least. Fleshy CdP but not flashy/oaky, but I think he has other cuvees tht are. I think he has occasionally released much older CdPs he has sourced, and relabeled under his own name (1972 recently), I would think P. Cambie would be closer to Rolland?

Xavier Vignon is not on my radar screen. I did a brief search on French Google as well as in my reference books.

As an addendum to what Dale says, the search indicates that he gets no mentions in the RVF and Bettane/Desseauve annual guides and one mention in Guide Hachette 2019 for a Vacqueyras. He is an oenologist and négociant in the S. Rhône area with a CndP address but has also worked internationally as a flying winemaker. His wines seem regularly available in France through sites like Vinatis and 1Jour1Vin with frequent quotations of praise from Wine Advocate, which gives a clue to the style.

None of this tempts me to push the investigation as far as seeking out one of his bottles.

[Jenise]

Tim, interesting that they're not coming up on your Euro radar. Wonder if he's producing primarily for the American market--Jeb Dunnock loves them. Mind you, I don't follow Jeb, but the reviews are usually quoted in the offers I get.

I've had a couple of his CnP's, purchased through Wine Access. They are pretty decent, if a bit shallow....they don't have the depth of say, a Vieux Telegraph or Beaucastel. They aren't the top of the heap but Ok for the money. You can do better though.