If winemakers were wines, Sylvain Bock would probably be one of those bottles that seems quiet at first, then surprises you with a little burst of energy.
Based in Alba-la-Romaine, in the rugged Ardèche, Sylvain makes wines that are thoughtful and complex, but never take themselves too seriously. The playful labels give little away about what’s inside — and that’s rather the point. He enjoys experimenting, whether that means co-fermenting grapes, holding back certain barrels, or simply letting a wine take its own unexpected path.
Sylvain calls this corner of France the “North of the South” — a fitting description for a region where limestone and basalt meet the warmth of southern France. It’s a place he clearly loves, not just for the soils and climate, but for the community of like-minded winemakers around him. Gérald Oustric of Le Mazel was an early influence and, in Sylvain’s words, a kind of “lightning rod” for natural winemaking. Other neighbours and friends include Jérôme Jouret, Les Deux Terres and Anders Frederik Steen.
The idea of being at the northern edge of the South also shapes how Sylvain thinks about his wines. Take his Bascule, where he works with Carignan right at the northern limit of where the variety thrives, coaxing out its more delicate floral character. Or À la fraîche..., his Chardonnay, a variety he sees as increasingly well suited to a warming climate.
In other words, Sylvain isn’t just making wines from where he lives — he’s paying close attention to how that place is changing, and having a bit of fun figuring out where the wines can go next.
