Lionel Fury's Ribaudes cuvée is a breath of fresh air within the context of the hot, dry unrelenting 2022 growing season in the Rhône Valley. Coming it at a very reasonable 13.5% alcohol, there's plenty of cassis in the aromas and flavors, and it's complicated by the usual granitic firmness, bay leaf, herbs, black pepper and black olive we expect from the very best Syrah. Faury credits allowing for a greater leaf canopy to shade the fruit and shorter macerations as the reasons his wines remind us so much of the fresh, detailed northern Rhône wines of yesteryear. Sustainable viticulture.