Description
The Flacher family has been making wine in Charnas since 1806. 6th generation vigneron Gilles Flacher is now managing an estate of 8 Ha, mainly in Saint Joseph. Most of the vineyards are situated in and around the commune of Charnas, on the western bank of the Rhône.
The climate is continental, with cold, wet winters and hot summers. Gilles’ vineyards are mainly planted on granitic terraces. The granitic soils drain well and absorb the heat from the sun, reflecting it back onto the vines at night. This aids in growth and maturation during the cool shoulder months of late spring and early fall.
Due to the sharply sloping terrain of the vineyards, most of the work, including harvest, continues to be done by hand, as it was done traditionally. The farming is being converted to organic. Gilles’ wines are all single-vineyard, made with elegance and finesse and have garnered much critical praise.
Two vintages of Gilles’ ‘Les Reines’ St Joseph received 91 point ratings from Wine Enthusiast and his ‘Les Rouelles’ Condrieu received two 92 point ratings and was an ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Wine Enthusiast, in addition to being a Gold medal winner and triple trophy winner at the International Wine Challenge (Best Condrieu, Best Rhône and Best Viogner).
Name: Les Reines
Varietal: 100% Syrah
Vintage: 2011
AOC: St. Joseph
Production: 12,000 bottles
VINEYARD
The Flacher family has been making wine in Charnas since 1806. Gilles is
now managing an estate of 8 Ha, mainly on Saint-Joseph AOC. For about
ten years, Gilles has been modernizing the domain. He rebuilt the range,
changed the labels and he is now extending his cellar
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Gilles is progressively making his wines evolved toward higher and higher
levels of concentration and finesse, through both vineyard and cellar
works.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
Syrah (early 1990s) from granite soils at Charnas, destemmed, 5 day prefermentation
crop cooling, 23-28 day steel vat vinification at 30°C, then
maceration at 28°C, aged 50% new, 50% 1-year 228-litre oak casks 12
months fined, filtered
Density: 4,100 vines/hectare
Soil: Slopes of stony, decomposed granite and clay
Yields: 40hl/ha
Harvest: Hand
Alcohol: 14%
TASTING NOTES
Dark plum color; the nose gives mulled fruits, a slightly sweet aroma, loganberry, mulberry. The palate bears mature fruit with a sweet red jam
middle. The tannins are supple on the finish.
PRESS AND AWARDS
91/100 Wine Enthusiast 2012
In the northern Rhone valley, The Flacher family has been making wine in Charnas since 1806. Gilles is now managing an estate of 8 Ha, mainly on Saint-Joseph AOC.
For about ten years, Gilles has been modernizing the domain. He rebuilt the range, changed the labels and he is now extending his cellar. In terms of winemaking, Gilles is progressively making his wines evolve toward higher and higher levels of concentration and finesse, through both vineyard and cellar works. The wines are all single-vineyard production maintaining the style of manual work in the vineyards creating notable wines each vintage.
Most of the vineyards are situated in and around the commune of Charnas -midway between Lyon and Valence- on the western banks of the Rhone. A large majority of the vineyards are set on terraces which makes most mechanization difficult, if not impossible. Thus, much of the vineyard work continues to be done by hand – but the the better of quality
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