Crozes-Hermitage `Vieilles Vignes`, Maison Tardieu-Laurent

Tardieu-Laurent is an almost unique operation in the Rhône Valley, a model that is much more commonly found in Burgundy and one that is a growing trend in Champagne. Somehow the French term for what they do fits more neatly, ‘micro-négociant éléveur haute couture.’  In English, it roughly translates to ‘a specialist in the maturation of outstanding wines, from top sites, in very limited quantities.’ Michel took over full ownership in 2004, a moment that coincided with the arrival of his son Bastien, a newly qualified oenologist. The company name remained unchanged as did the modus operandi but from that point and continuing through to today, the focus shifted, with an emphasis on elegance and freshness. They still age the wines in small oak barrels but only for the first year and have greatly lessened the percentage of new oak, eliminating it entirely for their reds from the South.