Producers of Northern Rhone Flashcards
Jean-Louis Chave was established when and where are they located?
1481 and winery is located in Mauves
Region of production: Hermitage; Saint-Joseph
Summary of Jean Louis Chave
Summary: One of the legendary wine families of France, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave has, since 1481, been passed down from father to son for 16 generations. The family initially grew Saint-Joseph wines before phylloxera wiped out their vineyards on the hillsides above the domaine at Mauves. A wise ancestor chose to purchase land on the hill of Hermitage and rebuild the domaine there. Now widely considered the greatest grower on the hill, Chave makes world-class white and red Hermitage with exceptional ageability. One of the keys to the Chaves’ success is their ability to blend across multiple climats to create the best possible wine in any given year. To maintain this enviable track record, they do not produce single parcel “reserve” wines, believing that the blended wine is the best expression of the terroir of Hermitage. However, in top vintages they do produce 200 cases of a red, barrel-selection “Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin” that is as expensive as it is rare.
Who took over Jean Louis Chave in 1970 and led it to fame? Also, who is in charge of the domaine today?
Gérard Chave took over the domaine in 1970 and brought it to worldwide fame; his son Jean-Louis Chave is now in charge with a CV that includes studies in the United States. Jean-Louis has also built up the family’s négociant business, J.L. Chave Selection, presenting a more affordable opportunity to experience the family’s winemaking skills as their domaine wines have become increasingly rare and expensive.
What climats does Jean Louis Chave own in Hermitage
Total of 13.9 ha in Hermitage
Les Bessards: Syrah; soil is rocky granite
l’Hermite: Syrah on granite soils; Roussanne on loess; Marsanne on clay-lime
Péléat: Syrah on alluvial stones, silex and clay soils; Marsanne, planted in 1910 on sandy granite
Le Méal: Syrah; soil is alluvial granite stones with clay-lime
Rocoules: Marsanne and Roussanne; soil is clay-lime
Maison Blanche: Marsanne; soil is alluvial stones with clay-lime
What climats does Jean Louis Chave own in Saint Joseph?
Saint-Joseph: 5 ha Syrah
Dardouilles Les Oliviers Pichonnier Bachasson: 1.5 ha, planted 1996-2002; soil is hard granite
What climats does Jean Louis Chave own in Crozes Hermitage?
Crozes-Hermitage
Gros des Vignes: 0.9 ha Syrah, planted in 2003-2004; soil is granite sand and loess
Production for Jean Louis Chave
Average Total Production: 5,000 cases
Jean Louis Chave’s Hermitage blanc and rouge are made how?
Hermitage Blanc (80-85% Marsanne, 15-20% Roussanne)
Hermitage Rouge: Les Bessards forms the core of this blend of seven climats
“Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin” (rouge)
“Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin” (rouge): a barrel selection done by Jean Louis Chave just before bottling, produced only in top years (1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2009 and 2010 to date) and only if the quality of the regular cuvée is not compromised
Jean Louis Chave’s inaugural Vintage (for top wines): “Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin” in ___; Vin de Paille in ____
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): “Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin” in 1990; Vin de Paille in 1974
Description of style/vinification method for Jean Louis Chave.
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The Chave wines have evolved a bit since Jean-Louis took charge: There is a bit more new oak (10-30% for the reds and up to 33% for the whites—though this has decreased recently), and the wines are cleaner than his father’s. The reds are de-stemmed completely, punched down, fermented in stainless steel and oak vats, then aged in 228-liter barriques for 26 months. The white is whole-cluster pressed and 90% barrel-fermented in up to one-third new oak, then aged for 18 months. All wines are blended in tank prior to bottling. The strength of the domaine lies in the diversity of their holdings across the hill of Hermitage and the family’s mastery of blending, passed down from generation to generation. These factors, combined with their sensitivity to the vintage’s conditions and the classic expression of Hermitage, allow the Chaves to consistently produce some of the finest wines of the appellation.
Domaine Jamet was established when and where are they located?
1976 and Ampuis (Cote Rotie)
Summary of Domaine Jamet
Summary: The Jamet domaine was founded by Joseph Jamet in the 1950s, and with the help of sons Jean-Paul and Jean-Luc, the Jamets began domaine bottling in 1976. The brothers took over the domaine in 1991 and have continually planted new vineyards and expanded the domaine, mostly in the northern sector of the appellation with its schist soils. Jamet firmly believes in the virtues of blending over the production of single-site wines (with one notable exception); the domaine’s Côte-Rôtie is typically a blend of their 25 parcels across 17 lieux-dits. In early 2013 Jean-Luc left the family domaine, reportedly taking two hectares of vineyards with him. However, news to date has been spotty about the split and may be worth following in the coming years.
Vineyard holdings for Domaine Jamet
Vineyard Holdings: 8 ha Côte-Rôtie, 100% Syrah
Côte Brune: 0.48 ha, planted in the 1940s and 1993; soil is schist Côte Blonde: planted in 1943; granite soil Côte Rozier: planted in 1943; soil is schist Lancement: planted in 1989; granite soil La Landonne: planted in 1987; soil is schist La Gerine: 1.3 ha, planted in 2000; soil is schist
Total production for Jamet
Average Total Production: 2,500 cases
Top wines produced by Domaine Jamet
Côte-Rôtie: a blend of all Jamet-owned parcels
Côte-Rôtie “Côte Brune”: a limited cuvée from this 0.48-ha parcel, produced every year
Inaugural vintage for Domaine Jamet
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): Côte-Rôtie in 1976
Description of style/vinification technique for Domaine Jamet
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: For many people, Domaine Jamet is THE reference point for classically styled Côte-Rôtie. The grapes are partially de-stemmed according to the vintage— though the decision is not by rote. For example, the warm 2009 vintage was fermented as whole clusters, as was the much cooler 2011, but unique aspects of each vintage led to Jean-Paul’s corresponding decisions. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks in their refurbished, gravity-flow cellar, and the wines are aged in barrel for 18-22 months (maximum 20% new oak for the Côte-Rôtie; 33% new oak for “Côte Brune”). The wines are neither fined nor filtered at bottling.
Auguste Clape was established when and where are they located?
1907 and Cornas
Summary of Auguste Clape
Summary: The Clape family has a 250-year history working as vignerons, though they were forced to start from scratch in Cornas after relocating from the Languedoc due to the grower strikes of 1906 and 1907. Auguste Clape, who took over in 1949, is widely credited as the first to practice domaine-bottling in Cornas in 1957, using fruit from vineyards planted by his wife’s grandfather. He was joined by his son Pierre-Marie in 1989, who now runs the domaine with his son Olivier. For many people, this is the gold standard domaine in Cornas.
Vineyard holdings for Auguste Clape
Vineyard Holdings:
Cornas: 5.83 ha total
Reynard: 1.2 ha
Tézier: 0.46 ha
La Côte: 0.86 ha, planted in 1954
La Geynale: 0.68 ha
Pied de la Vigne: planted in 1890
La Sabarotte: purchased from Noël Verset upon his retirement
St. Péray: 0.23 ha Marsanne, planted in the 1940s and 1990
Côtes du Rhône: 1 ha Syrah on the plain south of the village; the white vines here were torn out after the 2007 vintage and replanted to Syrah
Top wines produced for Auguste Clape
Top Wines Produced:
Cornas: assemblage from 12 parcels (average vine age 30-60 years) Cornas “Renaissance”: assemblage from 12 parcels (average vine age 12-20 years) Côtes du Rhône: 100% Syrah from vineyards outside the Cornas appellation Le Vin des Amis (Vin de France): declassified Côtes du Rhône; young vines from Cornas plus occasional Cornas press wine
Inaugural vintage for Auguste Clape’s “Renaissance”
“Renaissance” in 1998
Description of style/vinification technique for Auguste Clape
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Clape is an example of a traditional approach to winemaking in the Northern Rhône. Red grapes are not de-stemmed, and the wines are punched down by foot and pumped over twice daily. Aging for the Cornas bottlings is 22 months in old 6- and 12-hl foudres. The Côtes du Rhône and Vin des Amis see 12 months in a combination of foudre and cement. The reds are not filtered, but they are fined with egg whites. The white is vinified and aged in stainless steel.
Thierry Allemand was established when and where are they located?
1981 and Cornas
Summary of Thierry Allemand
Summary: The son of a Valence factory worker, Thierry Allemand built his domaine from scratch after dropping out of school and discovering his love of the vine while working with Robert Michel. Thierry bought his first small plot in 1981 and continued to collect small plots here and there, tending his vines on the weekends while spending weekdays chez Michel (he only began working for himself fulltime in the mid-1990s). An inquiring mind, Thierry has continually evolved his winemaking. After starting out with a by-the-book approach, literally “making” his wines by adding yeast, tannin and enological enzymes as well as utilizing mechanical crushing and de-stemming, he abandoned all of these practices after seeking advice from older growers in the area, especially Noël and Louis Verset. He also eliminated racking and reduced the use of sulfur in his wines, believing that these two factors contributed to the perception of Cornas as a rustic, aggressive wine.
Vineyard holdings for Thierry Allemand
Vineyard Holdings:
Cornas: 5 ha total; soil is mostly decomposed granite (gore)
Reynards: planted in 1900 and 1934; acquired from the Versets La Geynale Chaillots: some plots on limestone subsoil Le Tezier: planted in 1960s Le Bois .
Top wines produced by Thierry Allemand
Cornas “Reynard”: a blend of parcels with average vine age over 40 years; usually includes old vines in Chaillots, Reynards, Le Tezier and La Geynale
Cornas “Chaillot”: a blend of parcels with average vine age under 40 years; includes parcels in Chaillots, Le Tezier and Le Bois
Cornas “Sans Souffre”: a bottling with no added sulfur; usually from old vines in Reynards; bears a different label than the other wines and is labeled only “Cornas”
List the inaugural vintage of Thierry Allemand’s wine:
Cornas “Chaillot” and Cornas “Reynard” in_____ (in 1990, 2002 and 2003 the parcels were blended together and one bottling was made)
Cornas “Sans Souffre”: ______
Cornas “Chaillot” and Cornas “Reynard” in 1991 (in 1990, 2002 and 2003 the parcels were blended together and one bottling was made)
Cornas “Sans Souffre”: 1998
Style/vinification technique for Thierry Allemand
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The approach at Allemand is traditional. Viticulture is organic and the yields have historically been low. The wines are not de-stemmed, and all pigeage is done twice daily by foot. The wines are aged in either old 228-liter barriques, 600-liter demi-muids, or larger 9-hl foudres; they are not racked and are bottled after 18-24 months in wood. Sulfur usage is very low, and the wines are not fined or filtered before bottling. The wines are powerful and aromatic, but more elegant than the village’s reputation for “hard, rustic wines” would lead one to believe.
René Rostaing was established when and where are they located?
1971 and Ampuis
Region of production: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu
Summary of Rene Rostaing
Summary: René Rostaing started as a part-time vigneron in 1971 while supporting his family in real estate. He had married into Côte-Rôtie royalty: His wife’s father was Albert Dervieux; her uncle was Marius Gentaz—both legends of the appellation. Upon their retirement in the early 1990s, Rene and his wife inherited their vineyards and now have an impressive array of 20 plots across 14 lieux-dits, including old vines in some of the greatest terroirs of Côte-Rôtie. They have also purchased plots in Condrieu, including some older vines, and have developed hillside land just outside the Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie appellations, from which they produce Syrah and Viognier vins de pays.
Top wines produced from Rene Rostaing
Top Wines Produced:
Côte-Rôtie “Classique” (now called “Cuvée Ampodium” in the US): 100% Syrah from all of the lieux-dits except for La Landonne and Côte Blonde
Côte-Rôtie “La Landonne”: 100% Syrah from the old vines on La Landonne
Côte-Rôtie “Côte Blonde”: 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier from Côte Blonde
Condrieu “La Bonnette”: from Cote Bonnette and Sainte-Agathe
Description of style/vinification techniques for Rene Rostaing
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Rostaing produces elegant and long-lived Côte-Rôties. De-stemming is determined by the vintage conditions; the “Classique” is usually 30-40% de-stemmed, while the single-vineyard cuvées are 10% de-stemmed. The must is vinified in roto-fermenters, which are rotated twice a day at the height of fermentation and less at the end of maceration. Total time on the skins is about three weeks. The wines are aged half in barriques and half in demi-muids. The percentage of new oak is less than 20% each vintage, and the élevage lasts 18-24 months, depending on vintage. The wines are not filtered prior to bottling. The Condrieu has been fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel since 1998 and completes its malolactic fermentatio
Alain Graillot was established when and where are they located?
1985 and Pont-de-l’Isère (Crozes-Hermitage)
Region of production: Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph
Summary of Alain Graillot
Summary: Alain Graillot came to wine after a career as an agrochemical engineer. He founded his domaine in 1985 with a parcel of rented vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage. Even with no background in winemaking, he quickly rose to the pole position and today is considered one of the top names in Crozes. The majority of the estate’s production is in red Crozes-Hermitage, though a small amount of white is produced, as are tiny amounts of Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. Alain is now retired (on paper), and his son Maxime (who also makes his own Domaine des Lise and Equis wines) took over the estate in 2008.
Vineyard holdings for Alain Graillot
Vineyard Holdings: Approximately 23 ha total; all organic vineyard practices
Crozes-Hermitage: 17.3 ha Syrah (planted in 1973), 2.4 ha Marsanne, 0.6 ha Roussanne (planted in 1980); soils are sand and clay with large alluvial stones
Saint-Joseph: 1.4 ha Syrah in two parcels; soil is decomposed granite
Hermitage (Les Greffieux): 0.12 ha Syrah
Production on Alain Graillot
Average Total Production: 10,000 cases
Top wines from Alain Graillot
Top Wines Produced:
Crozes-Hermitage “La Guiraude”: a barrel selection, bottled only in top years Crozes-Hermitage (red) Crozes-Hermitage (white)
Inaugural vintage for Alain Graillot’s “La Guiraude”?
Crozes-Hermitage “La Guiraude” in 1988
Style/vinification technique for Alain Graillot
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The Graillot wines are a hybrid of the traditional and modern approaches in the region. They show ripe, concentrated and clean fruit, but only a maximum of 10% new oak is used in a vintage (most barrels are 228-liter barriques purchased used from friends in Burgundy). The red wines are made from whole clusters. Half of the white wine is fermented in stainless steel and half in 600-liter demi-muids; after seven months of aging sur lie they are blended together for bottling.
Domaine Faury was established when and where are they located?
1979 and Chavannay (Saint-Joseph)
Region of production: Saint-Joseph, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu
Summary of Domaine Faury
Summary: Philippe Faury took over this domaine in 1979, turning it from a mixed cultivation of grapes, cherries and apricots to a domaine focused on estate-bottled wine from an expanded roster of vineyards. Now with 17 hectares spread throughout Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Côte-Rôtie and Vin de Pays vineyards, the domaine is in the hands of Philippe’s son, Lionel. The two work together to craft a very expressive lineup of traditional Northern Rhône wines.
Top wines produced from Domaine Faury
Top Wines Produced: The wines brought into the United States are custom bottlings for Domaine Faury’s US importer; they differ in label, name and blend from the domaine’s wines sold elsewhere. The US wines are outlined here:
Saint-Joseph (white): 60% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne Condrieu Saint-Joseph (red) Saint-Joseph Vieilles Vignes (red): from the 1937 and 1963 planting in La Ribaudy Côte-Rôtie: 85-90% Syrah, 10-15% Viognier
Description of style/vinification technique for Domaine Faury
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The Faury wines are aromatically pure wines that rarely show oak, although new oak is used in moderation. The white wines are whole-cluster pressed and vinified and aged in 60-70% stainless steel and 30-40% oak (less than 10% new). The red grapes are partially de-stemmed, all pigeage is done twice daily by foot, and the reds are aged in a mixture of barrel sizes with the new oak percentage around 10%. The barrels are rotated annually to keep the wood impact minimal. The Faury Côte-Rôtie shows its percentage of Viognier very clearly and is a good example of how this white variety has an effect on the red blend.
Yves Cuilleron was established when and where are they located?
1920 and Chavanay
Region of production: Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Saint-Péray
Summary of Yves Cuilleron
Summary: The Cuilleron domaine dates back to 1920, founded by Yves’s grandfather Claude. The first domaine bottling was in 1947, labeled “Vin de Chavanay” Viognier and Syrah (the Saint-Joseph appellation did not exist then, and Chavanay was not yet part of the Condrieu appellation). Yves is a man on the move: He expanded the family holdings from 3.5 hectares to its current 59 hectares; he created a négociant business, Les Vins de Vienne, with Pierre Gaillard and Francois Villard in 1996; and he opened a restaurant with vigneron friends in Ampuis in 2007. The Cuilleron wines are all produced from vineyards the family owns or leases, and while they are focused on their traditional home region around Chavanay, they now also produce wines all the way from Côte-Rôtie in the north to Saint-Péray in the south.
Total production for Yves Cuilleron
Average Total Production: 32,000 cases
Top wines produced from Yves Cuilleron
Top Wines Produced:
Condrieu “Chaillets”: an old vine blend from Izéras and the old vines on La Côte Condrieu “Vertige”: from Vernon, this Condrieu sees longer aging in barrel (18 months) Condrieu “Ayguets”: sweet Condrieu from La Côte and Eyguets, from both overripe and botrytised grapes, depending on vintage conditions Côte-Rôtie “Bassenon”: 90% Syrah, 10% Viognier; from the southern Coteaux de Semons Côte-Rôtie “Madinière”: 100% Syrah from schist soils in the northern section Côte-Rôtie “Terres Sombres”: 100% Syrah from Rochains, Rozier and Viallière Saint-Joseph Blanc “Le Lombard”: 100% older Marsanne from Verlieux Saint-Joseph Blanc “Saint-Pierre”: 100% Roussanne from vines in Chavannay and St-Pierre-de-Boeuf Saint-Joseph Rouge “Les Serines”: from the old vines on Vessettes and La Ruty
Inaugural vintage for Yves Cuilleron’s “Madiniere” Cote Rotie and “Veritage” Condrieu?
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): Côte-Rôtie “Madinière” in 1994;
Condrieu “Vertige” in 2001
Description of style/vinification technique for Yves Cuilleron
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Yves Cuilleron wines are bold, modern Northern Rhône wines. Yves harvests his white grapes very ripe and waits for a small amount of botrytis to develop if the vintage allows. The white grapes are whole-cluster pressed, barrel-fermented in one-quarter new oak, and aged nine months in contact with the lees with frequent bâtonnage. The reds are partially de-stemmed, vinified in stainless steel with frequent remontage and pigeage, and aged 18-20 months in barriques. The oak is 100% new for the Côte-Rôtie “Terres Sombres” and Saint-Joseph “Les Serines”; 50% new for Côte-Rôtie “Bassenon” and Côte-Rôtie “Madinière”; older oak is used for the other reds.
E. Guigal was established when and where are they located?
1946 and Ampuis
Region of production: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage
Summary of E.Guigal
Summary: This world famous house was founded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal, who’d gotten his start in Côte-Rôtie at age 14 when he worked in the vineyards of Vidal-Fleury. Étienne’s son Marcel joined him in 1961 (age 18) after Étienne was suddenly struck blind. Together, they built the house of Guigal into the most recognizable name in Côte-Rôtie, and they brought the world’s attention to the wines of the appellation. In 1984, the two bought out Étienne’s former employer, Vidal-Fleury, along with their impressive array of vineyards… and in subsequent years, they went on to expand by buying Domaine de Bonserine, JL Grippat, de Vallouit, and the Château d’Ampuis. They folded the vineyards of Grippat and de Vallouit into their own production while keeping Domaine de Bonserine and Vidal-Fleury operating as separate entities. In addition, they now have their own cooperage to better control the quality of the wood for their aging program. While their very modern wines have not always been the favorite style of the older generation in Côte-Rôtie, Guigal has generally received a tip of the chapeau for the attention they brought to Côte-Rôtie and the continuing success of the appellation.
Total production for E.Guigal
Average Total Production: 90,000 cases of Northern Rhône wines, including négociant offerings
Top wines produced from E. Guigal
Top Wines Produced:
Côte-Rôtie “Château d’Ampuis”: 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier; from three lieux-dits in Côte Blonde (source of all of the Viognier) and four lieux-dits in Côte Brune; average vine age is 40-50 years
Côte-Rôtie “La Mouline”: 89% Syrah, 11% Viognier; sourced from a plot of the same name on the Côte Blonde, average vine age is 60 years
Côte-Rôtie “La Landonne”: 100% Syrah; average vine age is 20 years
Côte-Rôtie “La Turque”: 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier; sourced from an extremely steep plot on Côte Brune, planted in 1980
Ermitage Blanc “Ex-Voto”: 93% Marsanne, 7% Roussanne; 90% from Murets, 10% from l’Hermite
Ermitage Rouge “Ex-Voto”: 30% each Bessards and Greffieux; 20% each l’Hermite and Murets
Inaugural vintage for E.Guigal’s “Chateau d’Ampuis”, “La Mouline”. “La Landonne”, “La Turque”, and “Ermitage Blanc” and “Ermitage Rouge”
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): Côte-Rôtie “Château d’Ampuis” in 1995; Côte-Rôtie “La Mouline” in 1966; Côte-Rôtie “La Landonne” in 1978; Côte-Rôtie “La Turque” in 1985; Ermitage Blanc and Rouge “Ex-Voto” in 2001
Description of style/vinification technique for E.Guigal
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Guigal is credited as a pioneer in bringing modern winemaking techniques to the Northern Rhône. The house favors lush, ripe fruit supported by long aging in new barriques. This culminates in the “La La” bottlings (La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque) and “Ex Voto” red, all of which are aged for 42 months in 100% new oak. For the white wines, the Viogniers are macerated on the skins overnight before pressing, while the Marsanne and Roussanne grapes are immediately whole-cluster pressed. The top whites, Condrieu “La Doriane” and Ermitage “Ex Voto,” are vinified and aged in 100% new oak; the rest have a portion vinified in stainless steel prior to oak aging. The reds are sometimes de-stemmed, sometimes not, depending on vintage conditions.
Georges Vernay was established when and where are they located?
1953 and Condrieu
Summary of Georges Vernay
Summary: Georges Vernay is a legendary figure in Condrieu, largely recognized for rescuing the appellation by internationally promoting the wines of the village when only eight hectares remained in cultivation in 1965. Georges began working in the vineyards with his father Francis at the age of 15, and today the estate is managed by his daughter Christine, who returned to the family domaine in 1996 to take over from her father—becoming the only female in the area to run a domaine at the time. The estate produces superb, elegant Condrieu wines, and Christine has markedly improved the quality of the reds. In addition to the flagship AOP wines produced here, the domaine produces excellent Vins de Pays wines from Viognier and Syrah grown in higher altitude vineyards on the plateau above Condrieu.
Total production for George Vernay
Average Total Production: 12,000 cases
Top wines produced from George Vernay
Top Wines Produced:
Condrieu “Terrasses de l’Empire”: produced mostly from St. Agathe; vines average 40 years
Condrieu “Chaillées de l’Enfer”: from La Caille; the small terraces, or chaillées in the local dialect, were frequently referred to as “à l’enfer” or “in hell” by local vignerons
Condrieu “Coteau du Vernon”: the flagship bottling from the Vernon cru directly above the winery; now includes the 1960s era plantings with the estate’s oldest vines from 1936, which were planted by Georges’ father Francis (interestingly, this flagship vineyard that’s so closely identified with the estate was only purchased by the Vernays in 2000; it had been leased for the previous three generations)
Côte-Rôtie “Maison Rouge”: 100% Syrah from the plot of the same name
Côte-Rôtie “Blonde du Seigneur”: 92% Syrah, 8% Viognier
Inaugural vintage for George Vernay’s “Chaillees de l’Enfer” Condrieu, “Coteau de Vernon” Condrieu, “Blonde de Seigneur” Cotie Rotie
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines):
Condrieu “Chaillées de l’Enfer” in 1992,
Condrieu “Coteau de Vernon” in 1953,
Côte-Rôtie “Blonde de Seigneur” in 2000
Description on style/vinification technique for George Vernay
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The wines are modern and clean in style, with elegance and finesse clearly a goal for both the white and red. The red wines are completely de-stemmed across the range, and top red bottlings see about 30% new oak. All of the whites are whole-cluster pressed, with the Condrieu wines fermented entirely in wood. “Terrasses de l’Empire” is fermented and aged in large, old foudres; the “Chaillées de l’Enfer” and “Coteau du Vernon” are fermented in barriques (about 25% new each year). The various Vins de Pays are generally vinified and aged in stainless steel. Contrary to many opinions on the ageability of Condrieu, the “Coteau du Vernon” bottling has shown the ability to last.
Pierre Gonon was established when and where are they located?
1958 and Mauves
Region of production: Saint-Joseph
Summary of Pierre Gonon
Summary: Domaine Pierre Gonon produces reference-point Saint-Josephs from vineyards in communes that make up the traditional heart of the appellation: Mauves, Tournon and Saint-Jean-de-Muzols. Brothers Pierre and Jean have manned the domaine since 1989, and they feature a very traditional approach to winegrowing in the Northern Rhône: All of their vines are propagated by selection massale; viticulture is organic (the certification process is underway); and only one cuvée is generally made—no special selection wines are produced.
Average total production for Pierre Gonon
Average Total Production: 2,500-3,200 cases
Top wines:
Saint-Joseph Blanc “Les Oliviers”: 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne
Saint-Joseph Rouge
Saint-Joseph Rouge “Vieilles Vignes”: very rare bottling from the 1940s Trollat plantings, made in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 to date.
Who could this producer be?
Pierre Gonon
Inaugural vintage for Pierre Gonon’s “Les Oliviers” Saint-Joseph Blanc and Saint Joseph “Vieilles Vignes”?
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): Saint-Joseph Blanc “Les Oliviers” in 1964; Saint-Joseph Rouge “Vieilles Vignes” in 2006
Brief description of style/vinification technique for Pierre Gonon
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Vinification is traditional. New oak is not utilized for any of the wines, and there is no addition of cultured yeast. The reds are partially de-stemmed; cap management is a combination of pumping over and foot treading; they are aged 14-16 months in used casks. The whites are whole-cluster pressed and fermented in older casks, then bottled after 12 months. Both the red and the white age extremely well.
Ogier was established when and where are they located?
1982 and Ampuis
Region of production: Côte-Rôtie
Summary of Ogier
Summary: Michel Ogier began domaine-bottling in 1982, as the multi-generational domaine had previously sold all their wine to négociants (notably Guigal and Chapoutier). As the market for Northern Rhône wines was expanding quickly, by 1987 Ogier was bottling all of their wine under their own name. Michel’s son Stéphane joined the domaine full-time in 1998 at the age of 21, and he has now taken over completely, having brought tremendous youthful energy and enthusiasm to the domaine. He has expanded the estate holdings, started a négociant business and modernized the estate’s wines by using more new oak and less whole clusters in vinification. Stéphane has also followed other young growers across the river to Seyssuel where they now produce “L’Âme Sœur” from their vines at Le Vieux Château. Ogier has also purchased and leased vines in Condrieu since 2007.
Top Wines Produced:
Côte-Rôtie: the “basic” estate Côte-Rôtie is from owned parcels (about half in northern and half in southern part of appellation)
Côte-Rôtie “La Belle Hélène”: from Côte Rozier
Côte-Rôtie “Lancement”: from their oldest vines at the top of Lancement
What producer can this be?
Ogier
Ogier
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines):
Côte-Rôtie in ____; Côte-Rôtie “La Belle Hélène” in ______; Côte-Rôtie “Lancement” in_____
Ogier
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines):
Côte-Rôtie in 1982; Côte-Rôtie “La Belle Hélène” in 1997; Côte-Rôtie “Lancement” in 2001
Description of style/vinification method for Ogier
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The Ogier wines are modern and clean, featuring significant new oak. The reds are at least 80% de-stemmed, then vinified in stainless steel tanks with a three to four week maceration using both pigeage and remontage. The wines are aged in barriques (10-20% new for the vins de pays; up to 100% new for “La Belle Hélène” and “Lancement”). The wines are not filtered at bottling. The Condrieu bottlings are fermented and aged on their lees in 500-liter oak casks.
