Stéphane Cyran | Lorraine
Mention Lorraine to a wine nerd and expect to meet a blank face if not a look of bewilderment.
It is not unexpected. Vineyards in Lorraine, even if they have existed for centuries, remain minuscule and sporadically grown today. Most of these patches are found around the main cities of Nancy and Metz. When the natural wine movement gained momentum, trailblazing vignerons began to discover the prospects of this northeasterly section of France.
A true native of the region, Stéphane Cyran unwittingly became a part of this unofficial collective. In his previous life, he worked in tourism office in Moselle, near his birthplace in northern Lorraine. He has always been passionate about gastronomy, a field of interest whose circles are inseparable from the natural wine movement. As his interest deepened, he soon found himself mingling and tasting with natural winemakers. The impact was so profound that he decided to pursue wine as a career. He quitted his job and went to study oenology in Rouffach.
Stéphane wanted his new life to reflect his origin, so a search for vineyards ensued after he graduated. A year later, he secured a contract for a 1-hectare plot in Bulligny, in Côtes de Toul, and built his winery at the nearby Mont-le-Vignoble village. 2016 marked his debut vintage.
Here in Côtes de Toul, Gamay and Pinot Noir grow on clay-rich soils interspersed with limestone. Cyran’s vines are quite mature, mostly over 30 years old. A thoughtful and serious man, he follows organic cultivation principles as soon as he took control. All vineyard work is done by hand with the help of a horse while sheeps graze between the vines. 200% organic input? That is one way of looking at it.
Stéphane’s vineyard holdings have since enlarged to 1.8 hectares. It is still minute, but his attention to details and dedication to nature and purity remain unflinching.
He believes in keeping his wine intact throughout. Fermentation is spontaneous and no additives are ever used. Stainless steel and fibreglass vats are used to maintain neutrality during élevage while capsules are used to seal the bottles. Cyran believes that the microporosity of this closure allow controlled oxygen exchange, balancing maturation and freshness over time. Naturally occuring microparticles are intentionally left untouched. They enhance the wine’s textural dimensions and endow it with a more dynamic evolutionary trajectory, as we can attest. No sulphites are ever added.
“The natural winemaker does not add or remove anything from his wine… I let nature be; my wine is free.”
Stéphane Cyran’s Gamay and Pinot Noir are the epitome of soil-inflected wines. You may be greeted by a hint of cocoa powder, coffee beans and autumnal petrichor — hallmarks of clay soil — before the palate perks up with rocks, spices and crunchy berries. Even in warm vintages, the wine remains low on the alcohol register. They are texturally fulsome, yet remain buoyant and light-footed.
This erudite man is a relentless wine student. In 2019, Stéphane established a side micro-negoce, named Le Deuxième Souffle (“The Second Wind”), which allows him to experiment with different varieties. He collaborates with like-minded vigneron neighbours — mostly from Alsace — by using their fruits to vinify white wines.
He is equally particular about the texture of his whites, so it is unsurprising to see varying degrees of maceration on them, from a brief 5-days to a full 3 months. So far, the decision for every cuvée seems perfectly judged. Typicity, purity and energy are firmly in place, while flavours and mouthfeel are free to express themselves.
It is fair to say that Stéphane cannot seem to stay away from crafting three-dimensional wines regardless of colour and variety. Their soil character is palpable. Give it some air, let the wine calm down a little, and purity of the fruit will start to bloom. When they say a wine has life, this is what they mean.
Keep an open mind. Forget what you’ve learnt. Let your instincts lead. New frontiers of taste can be found in unexpected places.
That was what we kept telling ourselves during our wine trip. In our discovery of Stéphane Cyran, the excitement of finding the new is met with enlightenment and the far reaches of vinous pleasure.
