Domaine Georges VERNAY - The Terraces of the Empire 2023
Domaine Georges Vernay is located in the commune of Condrieu , in the north of the Rhone Valley. The estate was created in 1937 by Francis Vernay , with his first plantations in the locality of Coteau de Vernon. In 1940, he launched the now legendary great cuvée called "Coteau de Vernon". In 1953, Georges Vernay succeeded his father, he is recognized for having "saved" the Condrieu appellation and became the leader of an entire generation who after him would make this terroir one of the most recognized in the world. At the time, the Viognier grape variety was abandoned but Georges Vernay replanted his land and revitalized the grape variety. Since 1996, Christine Vernay is the third generation of the Vernay family to manage the estate. After running the estate alone for over 10 years, Christine is now assisted in the vineyard by her younger brother Luc Vernay , who manages and supervises the field teams. For over 20 years, Christine Vernay has been using organic farming methods , the entire estate has been certified since 2017. While she believes that organic farming is an ethical issue, she is moving towards biodynamics as a philosophy.
Les Terrasses de l'Empire is made from Viognier vines that are around 35 years old, from several small plots on the steep hillsides of Condrieu . The grapes are harvested by hand when fully ripe, then the entire harvest is put into direct pressing. After static clarification, the fermentation of the clear juices took place in barrels and wooden vats at a controlled temperature. The aging is carried out in wooden vats, on fine lees and in barrels for 8 months .
Grape variety: 100% Viognier
