Picked up 5 bottles of the '14 CR from Wine Library today for $38/bottle with free shipping. Seems like a steal. I tried to buy all 11 that were available, but 6 got sniped while I was checking out.
I Fu’rgot how good this thread was.
Just popped the 2017 Xavier Gerard St. Joseph Le Blanchard.
Sexy stuff, would swear this is 2015. Another very ripe vintage in Northern Rhone, but this wine has a citrusy red note and crisper acid than the 2015 Cuvee. But very close, the distinction quite subtle. Seared wild boar, a light BBQ glaze, dusting of sea salt, side of black olive paste for the toasted pita. Smoky, wild fruits and flowers on the nose. A very solid value play here. Drinking it next to a 3-day old 2011 Gonon, had totally forgotten about it as we went down to Miami for the Xmas holiday. Still alive!
(91 pts.)
You guys turned me on to this producer. The regular Côte-Rôtie is one of the few good QPRs from the region.
Was able to visit Xavier Gerard a few weeks ago and taste at his new complex. It was the first time I had the St. Joseph, the 2018, and holy god was that impressive! Especially at the price point (over there). Perfect wine to drink now while waiting for the Cote Rotie’s to age.
Thanks, Terrance! I was just reading up on the 2018 vintage, so timely post!
Post some pics, buddy.
Company my wife works for distributes these, so thanks for the recommendation. I think they’re still on 14…
Alright, I’ll post up the few decent pictures I have. It was an amazing tasting that I’m thankful to be a part of.
He has a new facility along the main road through Condrieu (maybe a year old or so) Very nice with a lot of room compared to other facilities I saw. There were a few other production rooms and a nice loft/open floor space above. All still pretty bare at this point.
Xavier talked a lot about his Viognier and his method, which includes keeping each day the wines are picked separated and then blended later. No idea if this is normal with other producers, but in the photo of the 4 barrels below you can barely see the different dates marked on the Cote Chatillon (10-9, 13-9, 14-9). We did some barrel samples from the first to the last picked (think it was about 10-12 days later) to see the difference. Very fun.
Another guy Lorenzo - https://www.instagram.com/monsieur_rotie - and his friends from Switzerland were also there at the same time. I met Lorenzo the day before while tasting at Gonon and we found out we’re both tasting with Xavier the next day together as well. Lorenzo and Xavier chatted a little about cheese, which prompted Xavier to bust out some amazing cheeses while Lorenzo got some bread and cheese from his car. I brought… a healthy appetite 
All in all we tried…
'18 Viognier
'18 Condrieu L’Arbuel
'18 Condrieu Cote Chatillon
X Gerard Les Autrichiens Gamay (guessing it was the '18)
'18 St. Joseph Le Blanchard
'17 Cote Rotie
'13 Cote Rotie
Then Xavier was nice enough to open some dessert wine he made just for his family/friends to go along with some of the blue cheese out. I guess you can say that makes me his friend. Or a part of his family. ![[shrug.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/48636ebda2a440a43ad8d24c83be20ac20c53420.gif "shrug"){kind=small}
Rules are rules.
The Cote Chatillon was the stand out of the whites for me, beautiful balance of white flowers, citrus and hazelnuts. The gamay was nice, with a little bit of funk that I generally enjoy with my gamay. I asked him about the difference with his old facility, that used to be his fathers, and if the new spotless facility caused any difference with ‘native yeast’ and such but he said no, no difference and that the barrels were the main component that kept the yeast.
The St. Joe was surprising for how meaty yet balance it was right out the gate. Stunning. I mentioned I haven’t seen it and he said he barely sends any over to stateside.
And the '13 Cote Rotie really got me very excited for the potential of the newer CR’s bottles I have.
La Landonne’s were in their wooden boxes on palates getting ready to send over to Japan.
Like I said, thankful to be with everybody there.
Much thanks to Charlie for initially bringing him to my attention as well with this thread.
Super cool, thanks for sharing!
Did you finagle some La Landonne?
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Might have gotten one. Probably cause we’re family now. [insert smug.gif]
Terrance, that sounds fantastic. The Condrieu is the only one of his wines I’ve tried so far. Look forward to digging into the reds when I have a chance.
This thread has sufficiently piqued my interest. I picked up 2x 2014 Xavier Gerard Cote-Rotie from Amanti Vino in Morristown NJ today. Will try one soon. For anybody in that general vicinity they had a bunch - I think just the 14 I didn’t see 15 which I was looking for.
The dessert wine you mention should be a late harvest condrieu 2018. Amazingly tasty and will be released commercially (albeit in small quantities). Next time ask him to have you try the various plots of CR in barrel (mollards, Landonne,…) - special experience!
Full disclaimer: I import his wines in Belgium
Thanks for the extra info Thomas. It was an unlabeled bottle and I didn’t recall exactly what it was so I didn’t want to say anything incorrect. He mentioned it was the first time he made it since experimenting back a few years ago, but it didn’t sound like it was actually going to be sold, so that’s great to hear. It was excellent, but I love sticky + stinky cheese, so it’d really have to be bad for me to not like it.
I just ordered a four pack of 2018 Xavier Gérard Saint-Joseph Le Blanchard from Crush.
Cheers,
Warren
I’m having a bottle of 2014 Xavier Gerard Cote Rotie and glad I am. This is terrific. Last night it almost reminded me more of an elegant Burg than a Northern Rhone which is interesting, though tonight it comes across as Syrah. It squeezes everything it can out of 12.5%. Excellent bottle of wine.
Funny, I was just asking Fu about the 2016.
Any recent notes?
PS. I am starting to really like the 2014 vintage.
The nose on this 14 is just a knockout to me
I had the 2014 Juge last month and said the same thing. A ridiculously fragrant and complex nose. And wide open.
I’m also a big fan of 2014 (and 2013) in the N. Rhône.
I’ve had the 2013 Gerard St Joseph twice recently, and it’s been beautifully fragrant and well balanced. Very nice bottle.