Domaine Georges Vernay

Domain presentation

The Georges Vernay estate is a family business. Since 1940, the generations have followed one another in the service of the terroir. Today, Christine Vernay, the third generation, has been at the helm for 25 years. Each of the cuvées produced is deeply marked by the terroir, and we can assure you that finesse, elegance and harmony are the common trait of the wines produced under these three generations.

Commitments

The leitmotif of the vineyard is hard work and humility. For three generations, we have worked with respect for the land, the vines and those who work them.

Christine Vernay took over the estate in 1996 and received her XXth vintage in 2016. By this time, praise and awards were pouring in. The estate continues on its path and finally applies for Organic Agriculture certification.

Indeed, she has been working on organic viticulture for twenty years. She sees herself as the custodian of a land that she has a responsibility to care for. So Christine got involved long before it was an emergency or a fad, and she's been able to show that while this organic conversion was difficult, it wasn't impossible.

Naturally, the work of the entire Château team goes beyond wine production to include hillside preservation. The hillsides of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie are a precious heritage for two reasons: they are vineyard land that needs to be maintained or made cultivable, and they are an essential part of the landscape. They require regular upkeep, particularly to restore the low stone walls that support the terraces. Georges Vernay is well known for having saved these hillsides, and Christine now looks after them as a worthy heir.

Christine has been working with organic methods for twenty years, and only recently applied for certification, as she believes it should not be a commercial argument but an ethic deeply characteristic of the estate. Having shown that it was possible to do organic on hillsides, despite the cost involved, Christine Vernay decided to go further and realize a personal bias, a philosophy: biodynamics.

Terroir

Today, the estate covers two AOPs: Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie. These two terroirs are the result of the fracture of the Massif Central that gave rise to the Rhône plain. The soils of this terroir are composed of granite, sandy silica and micaschist.

This bedrock plays an essential role in regulating and supplying water to the vines, with terraces established on soil that is particularly draining due to the presence of numerous vertical micro-faults.

The estate is home to two grape varieties: Viognier (100% AOC Condrieu and 20% AOC Côte-Rôtie) and Syrah (80% AOC Côte-Rôtie).

The climate is temperate and continental, with mild winters and hot summers. Temperatures can exceed 40 degrees. The vineyard is exposed to the wind from the south, which eliminates humidity and dries out the grapes, but is sheltered from the north wind. Finally, the south/southeast exposure favors early ripening.

The wines

Le Coteau du Vernon is a complex, elegant wine. This Condrieu, unique among Condrieu wines, offers aromas of yellow fruit, fresh citrus or exotic fruit with hints of spice. Its balance is always perfect, with plenty of freshness and vegetal notes that give a straightforward, taut wine with perfectly controlled exuberance.

Les Chaillées de l'Enfer is a very fruity wine that combines citrus with more floral or vegetal notes and even occasional spices. Condrieu all tension, saline and racy, it's a fresh, pure wine that feels firm-tender.

Les Terrasses de l'Empire is a very fruity Condrieu with aromas of white peach and apricot, offering charming finesse. Elegant, harmonious and fresh, it needs to be enjoyed in its youth.

Le Maison Rouge is characterized by notes of black fruits, oriental spices, licorice and black pepper. Launched by Christine Vernay, this Côte Rôtie made from old Syrah vines stands out for its elegance and bewitching structure. The tannins are assertive, giving a powerful, elegant wine.

La Blonde du Seigneur is a Côte-Rôtie with 5% Viognier, perfectly synthesizing power and delicacy. Its color is dark, its nose mineral with notes of black fruits and pepper: it's an aromatic and elegant wine. Its well-constructed yet perfectly smooth tannins offer a long, lingering finish.

Le Terres d'Encre is a wine imbued with black fruits, licorice, delicate spices and woody notes. Dark in color and made from 30-year-old Syrah vines, it offers the spicy structure and roundness of the estate's great wines.