Xavier Gerard
We met the young Xavier Gerard when he was working at the Levet estate in Ampuis. He has his own tiny exploitation of vineyards high on the plateau overlooking the village of Condrieu near his parents vineyards where the family produces its own wine from that august appellation.
Gerard’s vines are just outside the official boundaries for the AOC Condrieu; so, he produces a small amount of Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes from the Viognier grape. His vineyard practices are organic in spirit: no insecticides nor herbicides are used, the soil is worked around the vines and along the paths separating the vines. The grapes are harvested manually, then pressed directly and decanted after one day. Natural yeasts are used for the fermentation in stainless steel and the malolactic is partially completed before the wine is lightly filtered and bottled at the domaine.
Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes “Viognier”
The grapes are sourced from vines planted in a 1.05 hectare vineyard in Vérin, two kilometers from Condrieu. The soil is infused with granite; the vines are planted to a density of 8500 per hectare; 15% of the vineyard is terraced with the remainder sitting on the plateau. Gerard vinifies his Viognier completely dry. The dominant notes are white flowers, violets with a persistent minerality to the finish. A mere 900 to 1000 bottles comes to the States.
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