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Domaine Pierre Gaillard, Rhône ValleyThe birth of a vineyard… Winemaking is the love of Pierre Gaillard’s life. His passion first showed itself when, aged 12, he was discovered among the vines near his home – he had taken a plough horse with him, to do some ploughing… His life was mapped out, he would make wine! His subsequent studies of grape-growing and winemaking led him first to Beaune then to the faculty of oenology at Montpellier. He gained his first experience working as vineyard manager on a large estate in the Côte-Rôtie vineyards, where he steeped himself in the terroirs and traditions of this famous appellation. Even then, he was haunted by the desire to grow his own vines one day… So, in 1981, he purchased his first lands in St. Joseph and revived the “Clos de Cuminaille”, an ancient wine growing estate dating from Roman times.
In 1987, he decided to devote his whole time and energy to his vines, and created his own vineyard in the hills above the medieval village of Malleval, which lies half-way between the river Rhône and Mont Pilat. Wasting no time, he set about building his vineyard, each year clearing, preparing and planting new parcels of land in the hills of the Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and St. Joseph appellations.
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