By Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin
Champin Le Seigneur Cote-Rotie 2019

Background
Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin is a family-owned winery in the heart of Cote-Rotie, near the village of Ampuis in the Rhone Valley. Hailing from a family of grape growers, Jean Michel established his eponymous winery in 1983, the first in his family to make wine. While he sourced much of his fruit from family-owned vineyards dating back to his grandfather's time, he also purchased land along the way, buying his first vineyard in the famed 'Les Grandes Places' in 1988, followed by a second purchase in 'La Landonne.' Today, the estate covers a little more than 30 acres in the Cote-Rotie appellation and much smaller plots in Condrieu and the northern Rhone, which Jean-Michel farms alongside his two sons, Michael and Alexis.

Source
Champin Le Seigneur is affectionately named after the farmer from whom Jean-Michel purchased the vineyard plot. It is a blend of 11 parcels covering nine hectares: Lezardes, Cognet, Gerine, Bourrier, Fourvier, La Brosse, Cote Bodin, La Taquiere, Fongeant, Verenay, and Marsanne. Vines are an average of 30 years old.

Production
The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo alcoholic fermentation at a cool temperature of 64 degrees F in stainless-steel vats. Malolactic fermentation is inhibited to preserve the wine's acidity and freshness. The Syrah and Viognier are co-planted and co-fermented, by law. Gerin uses native yeasts for all their wines. Aged 22 months in barrique (20% new oak).

Wine Details
Source: Cote-Rotie AOC, northern Rhone, France
Blend: 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier
Winemaker: Jean-Michel Gerin

Tasting Notes
The Syrah brings in smoke, violets, and red fruits. The combination gives the wine a softer entry with underlying power and finesse. Inky ruby, with vibrant cherry and black currant aromas complemented by suggestions of black pepper, violet, and olive. Taut and structured on entry, then more open in the mid-palate, offering red berry and bitter cherry flavors sweetened by a floral pastille nuance and a hint of cola. Shows very good lift and focus on the gently tannic finish, which lingers with very good floral persistence.
[Information provided by Palm Bay International]

Wine: Jean-Michel Gerin Cote-Rotie Champin Le Seigneur 2019
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window: Best from 2024 through 2038.
Review Date: 02/28/2022
Reviewed By: James Molesworth
Tasting Notes: A beauty, offering a dark and alluring core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit inlaid with a graphite edge and flanked on both sides by dark bay leaf, cast iron and singed juniper accents. Stays very precise through the finish. Best from 2024 through 2038.

Wine: Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin 2019 Cote-Rotie Champin Le Seigneur
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: 2024 - 2034
Review Date: 12/2022
Reviewed By: Josh Raynolds
Tasting Notes: Deep violet color. Displays aromas of ripe dark fruits, pungent flowers, cracked pepper and woodsmoke, with a hint of smokiness in the background. Juicy and expansive in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet blackberry and cherry-cola flavors and building spice and smoked meat nuances. Closes very long and smooth, with sneaky tannins adding shape to a repeating dark berry note.

Wine: 2019 Jean-Michel Gerin Champin le Seigneur (Côte-Rôtie)
Score/Rating: 91
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink from 2024-2034.
Review Date: 10/09/2022
Tasting Notes: Flowers, a touch of espresso, smoke, black cherries, and licorice on the nose. Aged in [...] French oak, which still needs to better integrate to allow you to better enjoy the medium-bodied wine with all of its soft, silky, red fruits, refined tannins, and freshness. Drink from 2024-2034.