Pierre Gaillard

12 Beaume Montepellier Cote Rotie 1981 Malleval Clos de Cuminailles1987 Malleval 2002 Banyuls-sur-Mer Madelo2007FaugresCottebrune

AOP Saint Joseph

Chavanay (Loire)

100% Syrah

Clos de Cuminaille1981 Syrah

35 hl/ha

35C30C–

AllierNevers1840%41820

Pierre Gaillard

2013-2023

About Pierre Gaillard

When he was 12 years old, he was caught plowing a nearby parcel with a horse. He studied Viticulture and Enology in Beaune, and obtained a Graduate Diploma in Winemaking from Montpellier. Vineyard Manager for a highly-regarded estate in Cte-Rtie. In 1981, he bought his first parcel of land, Clos de Cuminailles in Malleval. In 1987, he established his business in the upper part of the medieval town of Malleval. In 2002, he created the estate of Madeloc in Banyuls-sur-Mer. In 2007, he created the estate of Cottebrune in Faugres.

Appellation:
AOP Saint Joseph, northern Rhone

Country of Origin:
France

Districts:
Chavanay (Loire)

Type:
Red/Rouge (Still)

Grape Variety:
100% Syrah

Soils:
Altered granite facing east. The first hillside ofClos de Cuminaillewascleared and planted in 1981. With its finegranite sandy slopes offering good drainage,this estate currently offers an exceptionalenvironment allowing the Syrah grapevariety to fully express itself. As a result wehave decided to pay tribute to this terroir bycreating a single wine.

Yield:
35 hl/ha

Winemaking:
Hand picked harvest, sorting of the mosthealthy and well-ripened grapes.Total destemming. Cold macerationbefore fermentation, alcoholicfermentation at 35C.Maceration at 30C after fermentation.Malolactic fermentation in barrels.The fermenting must is cap-punched threetimes a day and pumped over at leastonce a day. These techniques ensure thegood extraction of tannins and aromaticsubstances. The malolactic fermentation iscarried out in oak barrels. As a result thewine is rich and concentrated.

Ageing:
18 months in fine oak from Allierand Nevers.Barrels: 40 % new oak withoxygenation every 4 months.The expression of the terroir is guaranteed by the oak ageing which allows the aromas toexpressive themselves for 18 to 20 months.The slopes of this hillside face east and areat once under the influence of the north andthe south. This situation has produced a winewith great ageing potential, but also verygood freshness.

Tasting Notes:

Fresh and strong.Made from the granite slopes of an ancient winemaking estatedating back to the Roman era.

The Wine Advocate:

With outstanding potential, the 2012 Saint Joseph Clos de Cuminaille, which spent 16-18 months in 30% new oak, offers mineral-laced notes of crunchy black fruit, pepper and hints of flowers. Medium-bodied, with bright acidity and good texture, it will be better with short term cellaring and drink nicely for around a decade. Drink: 2013-2023

This was a large lineup by producer Pierre Gaillard. The wines all have a classic, fresh and focused feel, and certainly, those looking for big textures and loads of fruit should look elsewhere.