Xavier Gerard is a relative newcomer to the world of old school Côte-Rôtie vignerons. But since he took over for his father in 2012, the wines have become critical darlings. John Livingston-Learmonth raves vintage in and vintage out (his notes on the 2021 are below).

But they aren't the kind of Côte-Rôties that appeal *only* to wine geeks and Northern Rhône nuts. Xavier is friends of the Levet family, the super-old school producers in Côte-Rôtie whose wines are very much on the wild and woolly side of what the appellation can do.

Xavier's wines, while every bit as honest and terroir transparent as Levet's, are more focused on the region's elegantly perfumed, gorgeously fruited side. But the Levets recognized his wines' kindred spirit and introduced him to their US importer, Neal Rosenthal. Neal was smitten and shared them with all of us in New York, where it was love at first sight.

The Gerard family used to sell a lot of their wine off to top négociants, but Xavier stopped the practice and bottles everything. Even so, there isn't much wine. His "basic" Côte-Rôtie comes from some of the top, crazy-steep vineyards, which he farms organically (he's working towards certification). He takes a bespoke approach to vinification, making decisions about using whole clusters based on the character of the fruit, rather than adhering to a rule.

He carries out the thoughtful, precise approach with minimal handling of the grapes, making for a purity that is beguiling when married to the Côte-Rôtie character. It's a wine that has the magical ability to drink seductively young, but also to age into the old-time, spectacularly complex of the great Northern Rhones, particularly in the 2021 which, as JLL says, "is certainly a vintage with some jolies choses, and a higher level of aromatics than the sunbaked vintages, and potentially good access to the true terroir in the wines."

Xavier Gerard, Côte-Rôtie, 2021 $79.99
JLL tasted from two single-vineyard casks before blending, and which we reproduce so you can understand how seriously the Northern Rhône cognoscenti take these wines:
1) (Mollard, 500-litre cask) **** level red; mulberry, deep red fruit with a hint of animal, reduction, oak, on the nose, has a peppery intensity. The palate is threaded with iron influences, carries springy content, bustling red-fruited matter, the tannins sparky. It has a blood-entrails tone on the finish, oak late on. This is vigorous, vivid, unchained. 21 yrs
2) La Viallière 228-litre cask) ****(*) full red; broad, chocolate influenced nose, inner firm raspberry with good cut, lucid fruit. The palate drives from within, is ferrous, well sustained, a little more grounded than the Mollard. It’s a good contributor to the blend, brings plenty of depth and energy, is long, persistent, shows oak late on. From 4+ years 24 years From 2027. 2045-47 Feb 2023