Gilbert & Aurelien Chirat

Aurélien Chirat is a fourth generation grower whose cellar in St-Michel-sur-Rhône is at the confluence of the Condrieu and Saint-Joseph appellations. His father, Gilbert, finally gave up his polycultural farming activities in 1984 to concentrate on viticulture, selling wine to the likes of Marcel Guigal. Aurélien joined Gilbert in 2008 and took control of the cellar in 2018. He still retains a relationship with Guigal, selling them Condrieu grapes in return for secondhand barrels.

The best intro to the range is the Or Piste Viognier, which is in effect a wine from just outside the boundaries of Condrieu, on the same granite soils. Similarly, the Or Piste Syrah is from just outside St Joseph. There is also a St Joseph itself which is dark and brooding with delicious minerality.