In rock

Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin

« The terroir does everything,
and the winegrower does the rest. ».

The Côte-Rôties and Condrieus of Jean-Michel Gerin are known even in Japan, but the Ampuis native has stayed humble. Wine is akin to many human talents: “Simplicity is the key”, said Richie Blackmore, Deep Purple’s fiery guitarist. Jean-Michel has, it must be said, done much for his vines.

In the ‘80s, this sloped terroir needed some hard lovin’ to “do the rest”: clear the land, rebuild the stone terrace-retaining walls, respectfully tend them by hand, and then reflect on and understand – alongside other trailblazers – the subtleties of Syrah and Viognier, vintage by vintage, plot by plot.

Les Grandes Places, La Landonne, Les Eguets, La Viallière – these localities have all become, for Jean-Michel, places to sweat amongst the vines. Before he reveals the fine wines now acclaimed for their luxuriant structure, ultra-fine tannins, and long cellaring potential…
But let’s keep it simple. Jean-Michel Gerin has always thought that what is in the glass derives from fine detail. Details that he heads out to observe each morning, vine by vine.
Sometimes it is the way the wind blows on a p articular vine: if a disease is present, it will strike here. How does he know? Through what he appealingly calls six generations of knowledge built from the senses. But what should he convey to his sons Michaël and Alexis, the estate’s future: knowledge or the use of the senses? Both, of course.

So Jean-Michel searches for, and finds, in his cloud of emotions,the words that express his vigneron’s instinct…

vineyards

CÔTE RÔTIE AOC: 12.5 ha, planting density 10,000 vines/ha on micaceous schists; 9 ha for Cuvée Champin Le Seigneur; 1.3 ha at lieu-dit Les Grandes-Places; 0.4 ha at lieu-dit La Landonne; 1.8 ha at lieu-dit La Viallière.

CONDRIEU AOC: 2 ha for Cuvée La Loye, planting density 10,000 vines/ha on granite. 0.5 ha at lieu-dit Les Eguets.

CELLAR

CÔTE RÔTIE: grapes hand-picked in small 25 kg crates, destemmed. Fermented and macerated in temperature-controlled vats for 4-5 weeks. Malolactic fermented in barrels, then aged for 20 months in barrels.

CONDRIEU: grapes hand-picked and pneumatically pressed. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and/or oak barrels for 12 months.

WINES

CÔTE RÔTIE • Champin Le Seigneur: Syrah (90%) and Viognier (10%). Blended from hillside parcels. Aged 20 months in barrels (50% new) • Les Grandes Places: 100% Syrah. Lieu-dit in north of Côte Rôtie AOC. All aged in new barrels • La Landonne: Syrah (100%). Lieu-dit in centre of AOC. All aged in new barrels. • La Viallière: Syrah (100%). Lieu-dit in north of AOC. All aged in new 500-litre demi-muids. CONDRIEU • La Loye : Viognier (100%). Blended from two parcels • Les Eguets: Viognier (100%), lieu-dit in centre of AOC, aged 12 months in new demi-muids • IGP DES COLLINES RHODANIENNES • La Champine Syrah (100%). Vinified and aged in stainless-steel vats. • La Champine Viognier (100%). Vinified and aged in stainless-steel vats.