Domaine Xavier Gérard Condrieu Cote Chatillon 2019
(Northern Rhone, France) - [RP 91]
Regular price $70.00 Sale price $54.97 Save $15.03
About the Winery:
Xavier Gérard is an up-and-coming force to be reckoned with in the Northern Rhône. Having assumed control of his family’s impressive holdings in Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu with the 2013 vintage, Xavier has been steadily honing his craft over the ensuing years; today, his svelte, pure, classicist renderings of Côte-Rôtie’s unique terroir rival anything produced in the appellation.
Xavier is steering his viticulture toward the fully organic—a particularly arduous feat on these brutally steep terraced slopes—aiming for certification over the next several years, and he has refined his touch in the cellar to allow for sensitive rather than systematic whole-cluster usage, natural fermentations, and minimal handling of the wines during their élévage.
Winemaker Notes
From the estate’s finest holding, situated in the middle of the slope overlooking the Rhône, this cuvée from the famed “Côte Châtillon” lieu-dit has long been the flagship Condrieu of Domaine Gérard. After fermentation in cuve, the wine spends one year in a mix of 500L and 225L barrels, the vast majority of which are old. The richness of the fruit is placed in balance by bright acidity, in a masterfully-controlled wine. A liveliness and notes of spice carry through the pleasing finish. We have also been fortunate to taste some older examples of this wine, which showed an excellent capacity for cellaring.
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Ratings & Reviews
91 Points - Robert Parker:"A bit more evolved and lusher than the 2020, Gérard's 2019 Condrieu La Côte Châtillon reveals notes of ripe pears and melon on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, round, smooth and easy to drink, with ample length on the finish. It's nicely done, but it probably should be consumed over the next year or so." - Joe Czerwinski (Jan 2022)