Xavier Gerard
Côte-Rôtie is home to many families whose names have graced its labels for decades. Xavier Gérard's has appeared on the label only since 2013, after his father, a grape grower who had been working at Crédit Agricole and winemaking as a side job, passed down the vineyard to him. Xavier had spent the preceding decade studying at home and gaining experience at other wineries. He works at Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, where the terraced vineyards are so steep that all work must be done by hand.
In the wine cellar, he deliberately adheres to traditional methods. He practices natural fermentation, ferments whole clusters when the grapes are in good condition, and ages the wine primarily in old demi-muids. He also strives for organic cultivation in the vineyards and has set obtaining organic certification as a specific goal.
The history
Xavier Gérard's father worked at Crédit Agricole while cultivating grapes and making wine in his spare time. This is a fairly common story in the northern Rhône region, where many families have continued to maintain vineyards on steep slopes without switching to full-time farming.
In 2013, he passed the vineyard on to his son, and the 2013 vintage was the first that Xavier managed personally. He had prepared thoroughly for this. Over the previous decade, he had worked alongside his father at home and gained experience by visiting other wineries.
Since then, this winery has become one of the first names people mention when discussing the next generation of winemakers in Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu. Xavier Gérard established a connection with the American importer through the Levet family, whose Côte-Rôtie is stylistically quite distinct. This demonstrates that these growers are keeping a close eye on one another.
The winery's evolution has been more a matter of refinement than reinvention. The use of whole clusters is no longer a fixed rule but is determined on a batch-by-batch basis, and the vineyard has been steadily transitioning to organic farming practices.
The vineyards
Xavier Gérard cultivates approximately 3.2 hectares in Côte-Rôtie, of which 2.2 hectares are family-owned. In addition, he cultivates about 3.5 hectares in Condrieu, of which 3 hectares are estate-owned. A very small parcel in the Saint-Joseph area complements this.
None of these vineyards are easily accessible. Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu are terraced hillsides located above the Rhône; the terrain is rocky and steep, making it impossible to use machinery for any work. All tasks, including pruning, tying up the vines, pest and disease control, and harvesting, are performed by hand.
Two Côte-Rôtie plots play the most important role in the production of red wine. Le Mollard produces grapes with more pronounced mineral notes for this winery. The plots north of Ampuis, a village located at the heart of the appellation, contribute peppery notes. La Landonne, one of the best-known lieux-dits in Côte-Rôtie, is produced as a separate bottled wine.
Getting these vineyards certified as organic is much more difficult than it appears on paper. On such steep, terraced vineyards, every task takes time and a lot of effort.
The terroir
Côte-Rôtie's reputation stems primarily from schist, a thin, plate-like, rapidly weathering, laminated metamorphic rock. The vineyards of Xavier Gérard are situated on this schist, and the wines produced here are generally described as refined rather than intense, which aligns with the characteristics of these vineyards.
Within this appellation, distinct differences can be felt on each slope. Le Mollard is notable for its mineral notes. North of Ampuis, even the same grape variety exhibits peppery spiciness. Blending these two characteristics or bottling them separately is a key strategy utilized by local growers.
In the neighboring town of Condrieu, the Viognier variety is cultivated, and the white wines produced from this vineyard emphasize acidity and stony characteristics rather than the oily richness that this variety is capable of producing. This is due in part to the characteristics of the soil.
Syrah, Viognier, and one outlier
- Syrah is used in Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph
- Viognier is intended for Condrieu; it is bottled dry and sold separately
- Gamay is a red wine bottled outside the traditional appellation region
The last item is noteworthy. Gamay from the northern Rhône region is a unique exception, and at Xavier Gérard, it is bottled under the name Les Autrichiens. Additionally, Viognier produced on land outside the Condrieu boundary is sometimes released under the name Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes.
The winemaking
Natural fermentation: that is, this winery relies on the yeast naturally present in the fruit and the winery rather than adding cultured yeast. The wine then undergoes traditional northern Rhône winemaking, primarily in old demi-muids, barrels that are much larger than standard barriques, resulting in a subtle oak character.
Whole clusters are sometimes used, but this is not a rule. Xavier Gérard decides whether to include stems on a plot-by-plot and vintage-by-vintage basis, an approach that takes more time than applying a single rule across the board.
Intervention during the aging process is kept to a minimum. Artificial intervention is minimized, and the wine is allowed to settle naturally rather than being forcibly refined.
The range, red and white
The two Côte-Rôtie bottlings are the cornerstone of the Xavier Gérard red wine range. Le Mollard is produced from the vineyard of the same name, which is among the winery's plots with particularly rich mineral notes. La Landonne is named after one of the appellation's famous lieux-dits.
There is also the domaine's own brand, Côte-Rôtie, and the red wines produced from Saint-Joseph are bottled as Le Blanchard and Lacombe Saint Pierre.
White wines are by no means neglected either. Condrieu is released under various vineyard names, such as L'Arbuel, Côte Châtillon, and Marmouzin, all of which are classified as Viognier and are dry in style. A separate Viognier is released under the name Collines Rhodaniennes.
Furthermore, Gamay Les Autrichiens does not fall into any of the above categories, nor were they intended to.
Given that the winery owns very little land and a significant portion of the work is done by hand, overall production volumes are low.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Xavier Gérard based?
Between Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, in the northern Rhône, with the estate's vineyards spread across both appellations plus a small holding in Saint-Joseph.
Is the estate organic?
It farms organically in practice and has been working toward full certification, which is slow going on terraces this steep.
What is the difference between Le Mollard and La Landonne?
Both are Côte-Rôtie, from different sites. Le Mollard is the parcel that gives the estate its more mineral character; La Landonne is a separate, well-known lieu-dit in the appellation.
Does Xavier Gérard make white wine?
Yes. Condrieu, from several named parcels, and a Viognier bottled as Collines Rhodaniennes.
