JC is back in France! Day 12
We started the day heading north up the Rhône Valley towards Ampuis (the home of Cote-Rôtie) to visit the family run Domaine Gerin. We met with father Jean-Michel and sons Alexis and Mickael, and tried barrel samples of their 2020 vintage. This is a very tidy and impressive cellar and their wines reflect this. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to go up the very steep hills behind the winery in their vintage Land Rover - always an amazing experience!
Our next meeting was just outside of Malleval- a beautiful and tiny village overlooking the Rhône river. A place where I used to come some years ago to have in the only restaurant- cuisses de grenouilles - apparently the ownership has changed as has the menu. This was my first visit ever here at Domaine Pierre Gaillard - a substantial but well run domaine producing most appellations of the Northern Rhône. Pierre, a larger than life gentleman, whilst still working for Guigal started modestly his own Domaine in 1981. It is now a reference to others in the region. We were slightly unprepared for the over 25 wines we tasted - it would have been very rude to stop Pierre during his detailed descriptions of them. It was well after 1.30pm when Pierre invited us home for lunch. His wife Pascale had cooked some stuffed vegetables from her garden and to finish a huge bowl of raspberries (also from her garden) - everything fresh and delicious.
A late and hasty departure took us over the back roads to the Domaine Francois Villard - unfortunately Francois was not here, but the lovely Laëtitia took us through the range of wonderful reds and whites (especially their Condrieu’s).
We had just enough time to stop at a nearby supermarket to purchase a blank notebook for tasting notes as my current one is almost full! Then up the hill to the fabulous Domaine Jean-Paul & Corinne Jamet. It was so good to see this wonderful family team (you may have come to their tasting at Maison Vauron some years ago while their daughter Fanny worked with us). As usual the tasting at Jamet is not a quick experience - we would have tried no less than 30 different barrel samples which will make up the final blend of their very sought after Cote-Roties. Their 2020’s are masterpieces!
We had dinner together at a local restaurant - although late it was a very happy and relaxed evening.
.jpg "2.Pierre Gaillard- Another rugby fanatic although he’s a staunch supporter of my home town soccer team (Les Verts!)")
1.A family affair at Domaine Gerin - Cote-Rôtie 2.Pierre Gaillard- Another rugby fanatic although he’s a staunch supporter of my home town soccer team (Les Verts!) 3.The Northern Rhône with the river in the background
4.Barrel tasting like no other with Jean-Paul Jamet. You do need to come prepared! 5.Awesome people! You might recognised Fanny Jamet when she worked for us some years ago.