Domaine Xavier Gerard has a centuries-old history; it was founded in 1895 by Xavier Gerard, great-grandfather of the current owner. At that time, vineyards of different varieties such as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre were cultivated. In the 1960s his grandson Jean-Marc Gerard took over the winery and modernized it, introducing new techniques such as stainless steel fermentation and temperature control. Since the 1990s, Jean-Marc has focused his efforts on producing high-quality Rhône wines from Syrah and Grenache grapes, and has been one of the pioneers of the region's revival. Today the winery is run by his son Xavier Gerard.
Domaine Xavier Gerard's goal is to produce sincere, high-quality wines that express the character of the soil and grapes. They focus on balance, elegance and longevity. They grow grapes in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, without the use of chemical pesticides or irrigation. Grapes are hand-picked and vinified with as little intervention as possible to preserve their original expression. The wines are not filtered and contain only indigenous yeasts.
Domaine Xavier Gerard owns 25 hectares of vineyards in the Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie areas, planted mainly with Viognier, Syrah and Grenache. In the winery, the grapes are pressed whole and fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in concrete and stainless steel tanks. The wines do not undergo filtration or clarification before bottling to preserve their complexity. The white wines age in steel tanks, while the reds age in oak barrels for 2-5 years and age further in bottles before release. The wines produced are Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.
Domaine Xavier Gerard wines are distinguished by their elegance, complexity, longevity and good value for money. Attention to biodiversity, traditional techniques in the cellar and extended aging create refined wines that celebrate the essence of the soil, quite different from most of the powerful and immediately accessible wines produced in the region.
