Côtes-du-Rhône Sainte-Agathe Georges Vernay 1996

Lot presentation

Côtes-du-Rhône Sainte-Agathe Georges Vernay 1996

The wine

This cuvée comes from very old Syrah vines grown on the Condrieu appellation, rather famous for its white wines made from Viognier. On tasting, this wine opens up with intense and deep notes of ripe red fruit and spices. On the palate, we appreciate its fullness and corpulence, enhanced with peppery notes, typical of Syrah and wonderful acidity which gives it persistence and fine aging potential.

About the Producer Georges Vernay

“I liked the wines that came from the slopes, I found those from the plains very average”. These words of Georges Vernay sum up his contribution to Condrieu. Thanks to Georges, the abandoned, steep slopes here were given new life in the 1960s. In fact, this determined man had the genius intuition to cultivate vines on the “chaillées”, or terraces, aptly known as the “chaillées de l'enfer” (terraces from hell)! The history of this property goes back to 1938 when Francis Vernay planted his first hectare of Viognier. Georges Vernay joined in 1943 and expanded the estate by buying some parcels. He opened a tasting room that earned him a loyal English customer base. From 1943 to 2010, the estate went from 1 to 24 hectares, 17 of which are located on steep slopes. The vines are spread across three appellations: Condrieu (10ha), Côte-Rôtie (6ha) and Saint-Joseph (2ha), with 2 IGP wine made from Syrah and Viognier (6ha). Since his death in 2017, it has been his daughter Christine who has kept the family tradition alive alongside her daughter, Emma.