Domaine Pierre Gaillard

THE BIRTH OF A VINEYARD…

Pierre Gaillard is passionate about vines. This passion first became obvious at the age of 12 when he was found in vines close to his house accompanied by a horse so that he could plough the land…

Even then he already had the desire to cultivate his own vines one day. Thus, in 1981, he bought his first land in St. Joseph. Without hanging around, he undertook the creation of his domaine, each year clearing and preparing land and planting new parcels in Côte Rôtie, Condrieu and St Joseph…

In 2002, he bought an estate in Banyuls. He had been fascinated by the terroir of this region since his first interest in wine, as much by the beauty of the countryside as by the potential of the appellation to produce quality wines. Currently in the process of modernisation, the Banyuls cellar produces a whole range of wines that represent the huge potential of this terroir.

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THE APPELLATIONS

Côtes Du Rhône	Banyuls
Côte Rôtie	Banyuls Vintage
Condrieu	Banyuls Classic
Saint Joseph	Banyuls non-vintage
Côte du Rhône	Collioure White
Vin de Pays	Collioure Red and Rosé

TERROIRS WITH A BIG PERSONALITY

The Malleval domaine covers 20ha of vines, within the oldest appellations of the Côtes du Rhône. Planted on the last of the foothills of the Massif Central, the vines look out over the Rhône as it follows its course southwards. Their aspect, coupled with the steep slopes of the hillsides, gives the perfect exposure to the sun. In Côte Rôtie the soils are made up of decomposed schist whilst the vines of St. Joseph, Condrieu and Côtes du Rhône grow on broken granite.

The Banyuls domaine currently covers a total of 22ha. The various parcels offer a great diversity of terroirs with vines at 2m above the sea level next to the Mediterranean but at 300m in other areas. The soils are homogenous: nearly all the vines are planted on Cambien schist.

HEALTHY AND RIPE RAISINS, NATURALLY...

Being persuaded that first and foremost great wines come from great grapes, Pierre Gaillard daily affirms his desire to produce grapes which are both ripe and perfectly healthy.

The practices of thinning and green harvesting create a warm and dry environment for the grapes, perfect not only for the ripening process but also for ensuring their health. Which such soils, principles such as these make for very low yields. In this way the berries express all the aromatic richness of their variety as well as the perfect balance between sugar and acidity. Sensitive to the future of his vines and to the quality of his soils, Pierre Gaillard practises a form of viticulture that is as natural as possible.

A VINIFICATION WHICH PUTS THE ACCENT

ON EXPRESSION OF TERROIR…

For Pierre Gaillard, vinification is the medium for expressing the best of his terroirs. It is with this in mind that he vinifies each parcel separately, in limited quantities, in order to reveal subtly the personality of each.

The method of vinification allows for the most elegant expression of the power of these terroirs, through the constant search for the best balance between the alcohol, the acidity and the richness.

Pierre Gaillard demonstrates each year his preference for the purity of the fruit aromas, delicately extracted through cold pre-fermentation maceration of the reds and pellicular maceration for the whites. In order to meet with this requirement for aromatic purity, the wines are aerated if necessary, in a cellar where the concern is for perfect hygienic conditions…

THE AGEING OF THE WINES

The wines come into contact with oak barrels very early in the course of the ageing process: from the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation for the whites, and before the malolactic fermentation for the reds. Convinced that the wood gives another level of aromatic complexity, Pierre Gaillard nevertheless looks for the perfect harmony between the aromas of the wood and those of the wine. The adjustment of the percentage of new wood according to the cuvées and to the harvest favours the finesse of this blend.

The lees are kept during the ageing process and are regularly stirred up through the action of bâtonnage. This process allows us to put the finishing touches to the aromatic development and enriches the wine in aromas which come directly from the terroir. With time, this brings greater breadth to the wine as well as a mixture of tertiary aromas and fresh fruit.

STOCKING AND AGEING OF THE WINES…

All of the wines of Domaine Pierre Gaillard age well. During the two years which follow the bottling, one can enjoy all the young red wines which have an attractive bouquet of ripe fruit. Afterwards there is a period of transition resulting in a more complex wine where the bottle should be hidden away for 4 – 5 years, according to the vintage.

The white wines are very enjoyable drunk young, but will develop and age harmoniously for 5 to 7 years…

MARKETING

 50% of the wines are sold on the export markets (Great Britain, USA, Italy, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Germany...) and 50% on the home market. In France, our customers are notably the “Michelin Stars”, the “Relais et Châteaux”, the top class independent merchants and private customers…

info:

Victor GAYET. Domaines Pierre Gaillard
COTE ROTIE SAINT JOSEPH CONDRIEU CORNAS
COLLIOURE BANYULS FAUGERE
Lieu-Dit" Chez Favier" 42520  MALLEVAL
T:0474871310  F:0474871766

E-mail:vinsp.gillard@wandoo.fr
http://www.domainespierregaillard.com