Xavier Gerard's Saint-Joseph is one of the most exciting wines that I've tasted in some time.

It impresses immensely with its purity, lift and aromatics. The finesse and clarity of expression really amaze.

Xavier Gerard is a young grower who took over his family's small domaine in earnest in 2012 and in no time has turned out incredibly elegant and nuanced, traditionally made Syrahs and Viogniers.

Gerard was introduced to his importer, none other than Neal Rosenthal, by the great Côte-Rôtie classicist Bernard Levet. Gerard's are a great addition to the Northern Rhône wines available in the U.S. As people like Gonon, Juge and Allemand have enjoyed an enormous amount of fame, prices for top examples of the region's wines have increased swiftly. Thankfully, in this context, it's easy to look upon Gerard's St-Joseph as a serious bargain.

The majority of Gerard's holdings are in Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu. His Saint-Joseph comes from Le Blanchard, a vineyard just south of Condrieu.

You definitely feel something akin to Côte-Rôtie in terms of the wine's class and soaring agility. The 2014 Le Blanchard delivers a captivating perfume with bright notes of berry fruit, herbs and floral notes. Everything is rendered with great clarity and there's a beautiful thread of minerality.

This is a wine that you'll want on hand in quantity - it offers that much refreshment, fascination and outright deliciousness. We created 4-packs for this reason. When the Northern Rhône is this honest and this precise, it's not to be missed.

To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits