Domaine Jean Michel GERIN - Côte Rôtie - Champin Le Seigneur 2023
Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin is located on the Côte Rôtie , in the village of Ampuis , in the northern Rhône Valley. Jean-Michel Gerin acquired his first vineyard plot in Côte Rôtie in 1983. Four years later, he released his first vintage, closely followed by his first single-vineyard wine: Les Grandes Places, in 1988 and La Landonne in 1996. The estate's most recent production came in 2009 with the production of La Viallière from a vineyard planted in 2003 in Côte Rôtie. Today, the estate covers nearly 20 hectares and the two sons of the family, Michaël and Alexis, participate in the viticulture. It was in 2020 that the decision was made to launch the conversion to organic farming, certification successful in 2023.
Champin Le Seigneur is a blend of Syrah (95%) and Viognier (5%) whose vines are around 30 years old. The grapes are harvested by hand from 11 different plots, all from the Côte-Rotie terroir. They undergo alcoholic fermentation at a cool temperature in stainless steel vats. The wine is aged 70% in 1 or 2 wine barrels , and 30% in new barrels for 22 months .
For this 2023 vintage, the wine opens with a seductive bouquet of ripe black fruits – blackberry , blackcurrant , blueberry – enhanced by floral notes of violet and a touch of sweet spices. Upon aeration, smoky and slightly licorice nuances appear, typical of Syrah on these granite hillsides. The palate is both rich and velvety , carried by an elegant and perfectly integrated tannic structure. The aromatic intensity reveals a beautiful concentration of black fruits, pepper and licorice, balanced by a mineral freshness that brings length and precision. The finish, long and persistent , leaves a silky and refined imprint. A wine of character , distinguished and harmonious , which will seduce as much in its youth by its fruity brilliance as in a few years by its evolving complexity. Ideal to accompany grilled red meats, duck breast or game birds.
Grape varieties: 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier
