Who makes it
Clos de la George is an eight hectare wine estate in Yvorne and part of the Hammel group. Its walls enclose the entire monopole, a single producer's named vineyard holding. Hammel describes the property as a Premier Grand Cru. The term identifies a classified site level on the label, while the 2023 bottle remains a varietal Chasselas.
The estate also grows Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Syrah and Merlot. Its range therefore moves beyond one white grape, with Grand Cru bottles in both white and red. The cellar includes a rock cut space furnished with large oak foudres.
Where it grows
West of the commune of Yvorne, downstream in the Rhône valley, the vineyard faces the Dents du Midi. The vines receive sunlight from morning until evening, an exposure that supports full ripening across the terraces.
Yvorne appears directly in the Premier Grand Cru name and in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottles. The place is carried through the range as a vineyard address, while the grape changes from Chasselas to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
How it is made
The cellar
Environmentally respectful viticulture has been practiced throughout the estate for many years. Ripeness is monitored parcel by parcel before harvest, and yields are limited in the vineyard. Grapes are picked by hand and sorted into small boxes to preserve the integrity of the berries.
Individual parcels are vinified separately, with long fermentations and ageing on lees. For the Chasselas, pressing is gentle, followed by natural sedimentation and slow fermentation. The wine then matures on fine lees in oak casks and receives light filtration. Fine lees are yeast sediments left after fermentation; ageing on them can add texture and savoury detail without making the wine sweet.
What they make
The documented range includes Clos de la George Premier Grand Cru 2023, a white varietal Chasselas, Clos de la George Chardonnay Grand Cru 2022, and Clos de la George Pinot Noir Grand Cru 2023. The vineyard also contains Gamay, Syrah and Merlot.
The three documented bottles cover different grape and colour combinations. Chasselas and Chardonnay bring two white wine expressions, while Pinot Noir supplies the red. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are assigned ageing potential of at least ten years.
Wines to try
First bottle
Choose the 2023 Clos de la George Premier Grand Cru. It is a varietal Chasselas from the walled Yvorne monopole under the Premier Grand Cru classification. The bottle places the estate's named site and its principal documented white wine grape on the same label before the range moves to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.