2014 Côte-Rôtie, Maison Rouge, Georges Vernay

This 2014 Côte-Rôtie from Georges Vernay is a masterclass in elegance and restraint. The nose is seductive yet poised with violet, black cherry, and smoked pepper interlaced with savoury notes of graphite, olive, and cured meat. On the palate, it’s silken and refined, the fruit pure and dark, framed by fine tannins and a gentle mineral grip. There’s depth without weight, concentration without excess, a wine that speaks softly yet carries immense presence. The finish is long, savoury, and perfumed, echoing the steep granite terraces from which it comes.

For when: the fire’s low, the company’s good, and the night feels infinite.
Pairs with: roast pigeon, beef fillet with truffle jus, or aubergine caviar with thyme.
If this wine were a person, it’d be quietly brilliant, confident enough never to raise its voice.

Domaine Georges Vernay, revered as the soul of Condrieu, is also one of the most respected names in Côte-Rôtie. Founded in 1937, the estate is now led by Christine Vernay, who continues her father’s pioneering legacy with a focus on elegance, precision, and terroir expression. While Vernay’s Viogniers put Condrieu back on the world map, her Syrahs from Côte-Rôtie have earned equal acclaim for their refinement and purity.

The ‘Maison Rouge’ vineyard, a two-hectare plot of 50-year-old vines in the southern part of the appellation, sits on steep, sandy granite terraces, trained using the Guyot simple method at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare. Here, Syrah finds both structure and grace, shaped by the Rhône’s winds and mineral soils. The 2014 vintage shows Christine Vernay’s signature style: precise, aromatic, and deeply expressive, a Côte-Rôtie that captures both the beauty of its slope and the patience of its maker.