Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places Jean-Michel Gerin 2012

Lot presentation

Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places Jean-Michel Gerin 2012

The wine

Les Grandes Places is grown in vineyards covering 1.4 hectares, 40% of which contain vines over 40 years old. The harvest is destemmed in full and macerated for four weeks, followed by two years' élevage. Its concentration is revealed in its aromas of liquorice, black berries and even chocolate, mellowing harmoniously in a lengthy finish. A dense, broad-shouldered wine, made for keeping, while retaining a beautiful subtlety.

The Gerin family has lived in Ampuis in the heart of the Côte-Rôtie for six generations. Jean-Michel Gerin established his own vineyards in 1983 with plots in the Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu appellations and three very fine parcels in La Landonne, Les Grandes Places and La Viallière. The estate's 18 hectares are also spread between the Saint-Joseph AOC and IGP Collines Rhodaniennes as well as Vin de France.
His vines are tended the traditional way, by hand and without the use of chemical fertilisers or herbicides and have been certified organic since 2023. Extraction is a priority throughout the vinification process and the wines are aged in low-capacity oak barrels for two years (for the Côte-Rôtie). Jean-Michel's wines are concentrated and impressively velvety. Along with his wife, Monique, he represents the new wave of Côte-Rôtie producers even though his considerable experience gives his wines plenty of depth and finesse. His children, Michaël and Alexis, have now taken over the estate. Its red wines are elegant and powerful and the white wines are known for their freshness and intense aromas.