DOMAINE MICHELAS SAINT JEMMS
OUR PHILOSOPHY
A subtle blend of simplicity and authenticity have always been the heart of the identity of our estate. Through the act of bequeathing their vineyard to us, our parents also left us with their love of working the land and respecting the terroir. Our daily work is guided by the conviction that nature gives back what it receives. This is why we have always favored methods which respect the flora and fauna of the land.
We have always endeavored to produce wines which respect our values, while giving consumers the pleasure of shared moments of fun and conviviality.
OUR STORY
1961
Birth of the Michelas St. Jemms estate…Robert and Yvette are the proud parents.
1982
L’Hermitage became part of our collection of vineyards. Robert was given the exceptional opportunity to purchase 0.3 hectares of AOC Hermitage vineyards.
1988
Sylvie, Florence, Corine and Sebastian took over the estate. United by their love for vines and wine, they decided to follow in their parents’ footsteps.
2003
Birth of the “Terres d’Arce” range. From a selection of the very best terroirs of the Michelas St. Jemms estate, the four great Terres d’Arce vintages were born: Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Cornas.
2014
The estate was awarded the High Environmental Value (HVE) label. As the highest rank of environmental certification in agriculture, this certificate aims at providing wine-growers with a single environmental quality reference, thus giving consumers new guarantees for environmental protection.
2015
Our new tasting centre. Simple and sober, with a wall of bottles revealing the wine gallery, home to our most precious and oldest vintages: the estate is truly magnificent, and is a fantastic destination for wine-lovers wishing to discover Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint Joseph and Cornas.
Terroirs and appellations
The estate is composed of 50 hectares of vineyards divided into plots across four of the most prestigious appellations of the northern Rhône valley: Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Cornas. In-depth knowledge of the land allows us to extract all the virtues and the ultimate expression of the terroirs, through precise plot selection and careful blending.
Crozes-Hermitage
The vineyard is divided into four parts, each with its own clearly defined character. The Southern-most vineyards are located at Beaumont-Monteux, and Pont-de-l’Isère. They are fed by stony, calcareous-clay soil, with some large pebbles thrown up by the Rhône river. Syrah, the Northern Rhône Valley’s iconic varietal, reveals aromas of liquorice. The plots of Mercurol, on the more central “des Châssis” plateau, contain regular-sized pebbles in calcareous-clay soil, and are deeper than the other two. Here, the aromatic expression of Syrah is revealed through red and black fruit. Finally, the plot located at Larnage, is different to the others, with granite soil coming from the foothills of the Massif Central, on a vein of kaolin (white soils), providing the wine with elegance and finesse.
On these very different terroirs, Roussanne and Marsanne express the subtlety of white Crozes-Hermitage, through notes of white flowers, apricots and honey.
