Xavier Gérard took over his family's small estate in the Northern Rhône and has quickly become one of the region's most sought-after young vignerons, crafting traditional Syrah from steep, terraced granite slopes. "La Combe de Saint-Pierre" comes from a parcel in the northern sector of Saint-Joseph, near Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf, where thin granite topsoils give Syrah high natural acidity and floral elegance.

The 2024 was farmed by hand on steep terraces, fermented spontaneously in open vats with a portion of whole clusters, then aged 12 to 15 months in neutral French oak barrels and demi-muids. It's textbook Northern Rhône Syrah with real tension: crunchy wild blackberry, dark plum, cracked black pepper, violets and a smoky granite minerality that carries through a long, savory finish.

Why You'll Love It

• Steep, hand-farmed granite terraces in the hands of one of the Northern Rhône's rising stars.
• Whole clusters add black pepper, violet perfume and fine-grained structure.
• Neutral oak lets savory granite earth and crunchy Syrah fruit take center stage.
• A long, smoky, savory finish that keeps pulling you back.
• Approachable now, and will keep evolving into the mid-2030s.

How To Serve It

• Serve at cool cellar temperature, 58-62°F.
• Decant for 30 to 45 minutes to let the pepper and floral aromatics open up.
• Bordeaux stems will frame its peppery, structured bouquet.
• Pair with herb-roasted lamb chops, seared duck breast, grilled sausages, or wild mushroom risotto.