Babylone opens with a beautifully composed nose: black cherry, raspberry and violet, followed by classic Saint-Joseph markers - cracked pepper, thyme, liquorice and warm granite dust. On the palate, it’s round yet deep, structured but supple. The tannins are fine-grained and well integrated, carrying the wine to a long, savoury finish. It’s immediately seductive, but with the balance and spine to age gracefully for a decade or more.

'Babylone' is the very first wine Julien Cecillon and Nancy Kerschen ever produced, and it remains the emotional and stylistic cornerstone of Famille Cecillon. Named after a “lost land” once belonging to Julien’s uncle, this cuvée is deeply rooted in family history. Julien grew up in Tournon-sur-Rhône within a long lineage of Northern Rhône vignerons and is the nephew of the renowned Saint-Joseph producer Jean-Louis Grippat. Although Julien initially pursued a career in finance in Paris after his uncle sold the family vineyards in the late 1990s, the pull of the Rhône proved irresistible. In 2008, he made a decisive return to wine, retraining and gaining experience across the Rhône Valley, South Africa and California. Nancy, originally from Houston, Texas, entered the wine world through Marlborough in New Zealand before moving on to Napa Valley, later qualifying as a sommelier. The two met in San Francisco and shared a clear vision: to create refined, terroir-driven wines that balance structure, freshness and elegance. They founded Famille Cecillon in 2011 with just a handful of parcels in Saint-Joseph. Today, while their range has expanded across the Northern Rhône, Babylone remains the soul of the estate - sourced from steep, granite slopes and old Syrah vines, it perfectly encapsulates their philosophy of power guided by restraint.