XAVIER GERARD
2018 r 2019 wh A domaine on the march under son Xavier, wine school trained and well travelled, whose first complete vintage was 2013. He took over full time from December 2012, as father Francois retired from working two days a week at the Crédit Agricole, having been a part-time vigneron. The regular Condrieu from Marmouzin used to be sold in bulk to Jaboulet, but was launched on its own in 2013, alongside the Condrieu Côte Châtillon, which was a **** STGT wine in 2016, nice and muscular., and alsoSTGT in 2018, when it was much refined, a ****(*) wine. From 2015 the Condrieu comes from Marmouzin and Corbery, a total of 0.5 hectare, and is called L'Arbuel.
From 2013 there has also been a good La Landonne Côte-Rôtie (2013 and a ***** 2015), while the Saint-Joseph red from La Blanchard, a vineyard rented from the late, lamented Gérard Villano and his family, wins marks for purity and clarity. The Viognier IGP is always a very good performer that lives a little, while there is a good Vin de France Gamay from early to mid-1980s vines at 350 metres at Givors.
From August 2019, Xavier has worked in a spacious new cellar beside the N86 just south of the Condrieu centre, which allows him to work with gravity, rather than pumping the wines. There will also be a wine shop, a caveau.
Xavier Gérard Côte Chatillon 69420 Condrieu
Tel: +33(0)474 87 88 64
xaviergerard2005@yahoo.fr
Countries exported to:1) USA 2) GB 3) Belgium
Percentage Exported: 28%, up from 5%
British Importers: A & B Vintners Ltd Little Tawsden Spout Lane Brenchley Kent TN12 7AS +44(0)1892 724 977 www.abvintners.co.uk info@abvintners.co.uk Cambridge Wine Merchants Bridge Street Cambridge +44(0)1223 568989 www.cambridgewine.com
USA Importers: Neal Rosenthal New York NY www.madrose.com
Quotes
“If you ferment Viognier at below 18°C, you get a grapefruit smell; if you ferment above 20°C, you lose the aromas.”
Xavier Gérard
“The aim of the vin de pays Viognier is for fruit and early drinking.”
Xavier Gérard
“2004 enjoyed regular ripening at Condrieu and a good end season; we had rain at the right times. In 2003 we were hit by drought and hail, and ripe and unripe crop was all mixed up.”
Xavier Gérard
“In 2008 I picked two weeks later than usual, on 29 September. We had had 120 mm (4.8 inches) of rain in the first weekend of September, so had to take out a lot of crop. There is attractive minerality and freshness in the wines; I also worked the lees, which I don`t usually do, since the grape matter was more meagre than usual.”
Xavier Gérard
“I drank a 1988 Condrieu vinified in steel vat in 2012, and it was in great shape.”
Xavier Gérard
“In 2010 we had three days of South Wind around 4 September, which brought sand like a beach, so the grapes dried very, very fast. The result was high degree, concentrated sugars acidity and perfumes; the minerality on the Châtillon can come back in 10 years.” Oct 2012
Xavier Gérard
“2017 at Côte-Rôtie is very, very beau, in the line of 2015 and 2016. Mollard resists dry conditions well, gives black fruits, spice. 2016 is a more tender, accessible year. The 2017s are definitely dense wines with a high tannin index.”
Xavier Gérard
I did two harvests, one early for acidity, the second for maturity. I worked to not make it overripe – for the last give years I have wanted more freshness. The last one-third of the press is fermented apart – it gives a more bitter note, so I add a bit of that, especially given low acidity in the vintage. I do not acidify. 2018 is 14° to 14.5°. 2019 has naturally higher acidity than 2018.”
Xavier Gérard
