Jean-Michel Stéphan

Jean-Michel Stéphan, a man who respects and draws inspiration from the past, while also being modern and innovative, created his estate in 1991. It stretches over 4.5 ha in the Côte-Rôtie, including such legendary vineyard sites as Tupin, Semons and Bassenon. His vineyards are made up of 30% Sérine (considered the original stock of Syrah, a pure grape variety which makes wines finer, more full bodied and more complex), 10% Viognier and 60% Syrah, a cloned variety in this case. In terms of viticulture, ploughing is done by horse when possible (otherwise… with a hoe!), and soils are fertilized with natural compost. The goal here is to make natural wines, thus vinifications are done without sulfur, with whole bunches, followed by ageing in old barrels. Jean-Michel makes a few bottles of Condrieu and some Vin de Pays on the side, but his true love is the Côte-Rôtie – indeed there are few vignerons who have committed themselves with such precision and passion to one appellation...