Jean-Michel Gerin is a trendy-looking vigneron with a new and trendy-looking tasting room and cellar. Do not be deceived however. Jean-Michel is no fly-by-night towny who has come to the Rhone to make wine; his family have been here for five generations. But his outlook is young-go-ahead and modern, while still respecting some traditional methods, the perfect balance. The tasting room must be the most attractive and imaginative in the whole of the Rhone Valley with a beautiful mural spanning one wall and a central pillar wreathed with painted vines and clusters of grapes. He is not, however, all show - Jean-Michel produces very serious Cote Rotie.

His Champin la Seigneur is produced from four hectares of vines in various parcels, a good percentage of which are over 50 years old. The traditionalist part of him adds 5% of white Viognier grape to soften the Syrah, while his modern part uses 25% new oak each year in which to age the wines. The resulting Cote Rotie is beautifully concentrated and intense, with wonderfully sweet, rich fruit and good backbone and structure.

His pride and joy, however, is his Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places, again made from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. Les Grandes Places is a one hectare parcel planted by Jean-Michel's grandfather and consequently the vines are very mature with 25% being over 60 years old. This accounts for the amazing concentration of rich, sweet, voluptuous fruit that shows through in this young, powerful wine. Packed with smoky, tarry flavours on the palate it is already drinking well. A bottle opened recently for tasting purposes drank superbly with a robust, gamey duck dish. However, lay it down for five to ten years and experience truly exquisite wine.