The Gérard family owns 3.2 hectares worth of old vines in Côte-Rôtie, spread among four notable vineyards: Mollard (comprising two-thirds of their holdings), Viallière (planted in 1922), La Brosse, and the fabled La Landonne. Tailoring his de-stemming regimen to each harvest’s particular character yet never wanting the stems to dominate the wine, Xavier included just 10% whole clusters in the vinification of the lighter-framed 2021, and the wine spent two years in used 600-liter demi-muids after a natural fermentation in concrete. This type of traditional, unfussy élevage is a tried-and-true method of harnessing maximum expression from the Syrah of Côte-Rôtie, yet it too often gets tinkered with; thankfully, Xavier sees no benefit to such attempts at sculpture, and his version offers tremendous purity alongside ample ripeness and sappy, cassis-like fruit. The final blend includes 4% Viognier, primarily from vines planted in Mollard.

*due in late May