Domaine Louis Clerc

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In 1991, Louis purchased hectarage in both the Condrieu and Côte Rôtie appellation. For Condrieu he took parcels in Condrieu, Chavanay, and Malleval. His parcel for Côte Rôtie sits on a bit of land in Tupin-et-Semons. All combined AOC holding total only 3 hectares. He is also possessive of 1.5 ha constituted to VdP des Collines Rhodanienes. His cépages include only Viognier and Syrah. There is no Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah for the Côte Rôtie; there is however some co-plantation.

In 2000 Clerc entirely overhauled his facility, which sits right on the Rhône River in Chonas l’Amballan. He invested in totally modern equipment including inox cuves with temperature control. It was shortly there after that his wife Monique and son Martin began working with him and learning the trade with their own burgeoning passion.

Unfortunately, Louis Clerc passed in 2007. However, mother and son are carrying on Louis’ work. Martin, now completing BTS viticulture-oenology studies, is 100% prepared to keep his father’s dream alive. “The winemaker’s profession begins at the foot of the vine,” Martin remembers Louis loved to say. “To make a good wine, you need good grapes.”

Born in Tupin-et-Semons, a small village just north of Condrieu, Louis Clerc always knew he wanted to work in wine. He came from a family of agriculturists who specialized not in grapes, but fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other marketable forms of produce. He went to school for agronomy and began his professional life working with fruit trees, where he stayed for many decades.

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