Tasting Notes
We did see this coming. Théo Dancer, like his father, is a great fan of Grenache and wanted to make a wine from this variety last year (he simply couldn’t find the right source). Now he has. The site lies in a place called Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes (between Orange and Montélimar) near Cairanne. It’s a beautiful, shaded vineyard that looks out to Mont Ventoux. The soils are littered with smooth galets roulés (the rounded stones that dominate so much of the southern Rhône). A key attraction was that the vineyard had been managed organically for years. The fruit was harvested in late August. It’s a really engaging whole-bunch Grenache through a Burgundian lens. Fermented as whole clusters and raised in used 456-litre barrels, the stems are perfectly integrated, bringing freshness and lift to the wine’s ripe, fleshy-yet-floral core. It’s deep yet with excellent balance and interest. - Importer Note
There can’t be many young growers in Burgundy creating more hype than Théo Dancer. Théo is the son of Vincent Dancer, whose small Chassagne-based domaine has been releasing some of the Côte de Beaune’s most fought-over whites for many years. To the surprise of many—his father is very much in his prime—Théo took the keys of the domaine from the 2020 vintage. It speaks volumes that Vincent felt his son was ready to carry such responsibility on young shoulders. And he has already repaid the faith. In addition to his work with his family domaine, this inquisitive and ambitious winemaker now also works with a very exciting new project in the Mâconnais (called Roc Breïa) and has also started his own micro-négoce, sourcing fruit from several exciting vineyards across France.
Dancer assumed management of the Roc Breïa vineyard just before the start of the 2021 harvest. With the help of full-time vigneron Bastien Cubillé, he immediately began raising the vineyard work to his exacting standards. As good as his 2021 releases were, they are not a patch on the 2022s: a consequence of both progression in the vines and a great Burgundy vintage. The wines are very much in his domaine’s pure, racy, earth-to-glass style, albeit with their own regional personalities.
Théo Dancer’s excellent négoce range is compact in every sense; the largest cuvée runs to a total of 300 cases—which, with the name Dancer on the label, does not stretch far. Our allocation this year comprises a Savagnin from Jura and a beautifully perfumed Grenache from vines near Cairanne. Yes, you read it correctly: a Dancer making Grenache! And a damn good one at that. Théo Dancer is increasingly recognised as one of Burgundy’s most exciting young talents—these wines explain why.
| Product Type | Wine Red Grenache & Friends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Southern Rhone |
| Sub Region | Sainte Cécile les Vignes |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Minimal Intervention |