The history of the Domaine Jean Michel Gérin begins in 1983, when Jean-Michel Gerin purchased his first plot of vines in Côte-Rôtie. Coming from a family settled in the region for six generations, he follows in the footsteps of his ancestors whilst leaving his own mark on the estate. In 1987, he took over the family vines, belonging to his father Alfred and his grandfather Marcel. This step marks the true rise of the estate, with the production of the estate's first cuvée.
From 1988, Jean-Michel Gerin opted for plot-by-plot vinification, an innovative approach at the time, highlighting the "Les Grandes Places" lieu-dit, renowned for the exceptional quality of its grapes. He continued his expansion in 1996 with "La Landonne", another mythical Côte-Rôtie plot. In parallel, he modernised the infrastructure with the construction of a vat room and barrel cellar in the 1990s, ensuring optimal conditions for ageing his wines.
The year 2003 marked an important turning point for the estate with the planting of the "La Viallière" plot, located on steep slopes of 40% to 60%. After years of titanic work, the first bottles were produced in 2009, revealing the greatness of this terroir. In 2018, the Côte-Bodin lieu-dit was vinified separately, after having been planted more than 30 years ago.
Today, Michael and Alexis Gerin, Jean-Michel's sons, have joined the estate and are continuing its development, notably by launching the conversion to organic farming in 2020, a certification obtained in 2023. The estate now extends over nearly 20 hectares, with a firmly established reputation.
Located 30 kilometres south of Lyon, the Domaine Jean Michel Gérin extends over remarkable terroirs in Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph and Condrieu. The Côte-Rôtie appellation, with its steep slopes and south-east exposure, is the jewel of the estate. This vineyard benefits from a dual climatic influence, both Mediterranean and continental, offering the wines a perfect balance between power and elegance.
Syrah is the king grape variety of the region, but the estate sometimes adds Viognier to give the wines additional finesse. The "La Viallière" plot, planted in 2003, is an emblematic example of the steep Côte-Rôtie terroir, where schist and mica schist soils allow Syrah to reveal all its complexity. The vines are planted on impressive slopes ranging from 40% to almost 60%, a real challenge for winegrowers, but the results are well worth the effort.
The "Les Grandes Places" plot is another exceptional terroir, with vines planted at different periods (1927, 1965 and 1989). This lieu-dit produces spicy and powerful wines, built for ageing. As for "La Landonne", another emblematic lieu-dit of the estate, it is distinguished by its mineral soils which give the wines a rare elegance.
The estate also extends to the Condrieu appellation, where Viognier reigns supreme. The climate and soils give this grape variety expressive aromas of yellow fruits and great freshness, as evidenced by the "La Loye" and "Les Eguets" cuvées.
Vinifications at the Domaine Jean Michel Gérin are carried out with respect for traditions, but with constant attention to precision and expression of terroir. Syrah, the majority grape variety, is vinified plot by plot, allowing the nuances of each lieu-dit to be revealed. The grapes are harvested by hand, ensuring a rigorous selection of bunches.
The wines are aged mainly in oak barrels, with varying durations depending on the cuvées. The Côte-Rôtie wines, for example, benefit from long ageing of 22 months, with a variable percentage of new barrels. The "Les Grandes Places" cuvée is aged in 40% new barrels, while "La Viallière" rests partly in new demi-muids, bringing finesse and elegant structure to the wine.
For white wines, such as Condrieu, ageing is carried out in demi-muids, with wood from two to five wines, allowing the freshness and aromatic expression of the Viognier to be preserved. These vinification methods, combined with exceptional terroirs, allow the estate to produce complex, powerful and elegant wines.
The Domaine Jean Michel Gérin offers a varied range of cuvées, each reflecting the identity of the terroir from which it originates. Among the essentials, we find:
La Champine Syrah: A 100% Syrah wine, easy to drink, aged in stainless steel tanks. It is perfect for immediate consumption or ageing for five years.
Saint-Joseph: A 100% Syrah cuvée, aged 12 months in barrels, with a potential for ageing of ten years.
Côte-Rôtie Champin le Seigneur: Composed of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, this wine is aged for 22 months in barrels and can be kept for more than ten years.
Côte-Rôtie La Viallière: This 100% Syrah wine, aged in demi-muids, offers a beautiful mineral structure and a saline finish.
Côte-Rôtie Côte-Bodin: A cuvée from vines planted in 1987, offering sanguine and mineral aromas with beautiful energy.
Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places: This powerful and spicy wine, from old vines, is ideal for long ageing.
Côte-Rôtie La Landonne: A mineral and elegant wine, from a small south-facing plot.
La Champine Viognier: A fresh and easy-to-drink white wine, ideal for consumption within three years.
Condrieu La Loye: An expressive Viognier, aged in demi-muids, with a beautiful balance between freshness and richness.
Condrieu Les Eguets: An intense Viognier, with smoky notes and a slight bitterness.
The Domaine Jean Michel Gérin has produced many remarkable vintages over the years. Wine enthusiasts of the estate can turn to years such as 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2019, which have all been praised for the exceptional quality of the wines produced. The ideal climatic conditions of these years allowed the wines to reveal all their complexity and ageing potential.
The more recent 2020 and 2021 vintages also show great promise, with wines that are more accessible when young, while retaining a strong ageing potential.
While exploring the Rhône Valley, don't miss discovering other prestigious estates in the region, such as Guigal, Jamet, Levet, Gangloff, Rostaing, or Domaine Yves Cuilleron, to enrich your knowledge of the wines from this magnificent wine-growing region.
The Domaine Jean Michel Gérin embodies the excellence of Northern Rhône Valley wines, and more particularly of the Côte-Rôtie appellation. With a rich family history spanning six generations and unparalleled know-how, the estate produces wines combining power, elegance and finesse, which seduce fine wine enthusiasts from around the world. Jean-Michel Gerin's bold choices, such as plot-by-plot vinification and conversion to organic farming, testify to his commitment to quality and respect for terroir. Today, under the direction of his sons Michael and Alexis, the estate continues to push the boundaries of wine excellence, while remaining true to its roots. Whether you are a fan of Syrah or Viognier, the cuvées of the Domaine Jean Michel Gérin offer unique tasting experiences, to be savoured today or left to age to reveal all their complexity.