Gangloff
Summary
Domaine Yves Gangloff is a small, family-run Northern Rhône producer founded by former sommelier Yves Gangloff in the late 1980s, crafting limited quantities of Syrah-based Côte-Rôtie from both Côte Blonde's granite and Côte Brune's schist soils, alongside Viognier-based Condrieu. Their hands-on approach includes necessary hand harvesting on steep slopes, vintage-adjusted stem inclusion during fermentation, and thoughtful oak aging, with Mathilde Gangloff contributing both to the winemaking process and creating the distinctive artistic labels that adorn their bottles.
Heritage & Leadership
Domaine Yves Gangloff was established in the late 1980s when Yves Gangloff, originally from Alsace, settled in the Northern Rhône village of Condrieu. Before becoming a winemaker, Yves worked as a sommelier, which provided him with a foundation in wine appreciation and service. The domaine remains a family operation, with Yves working alongside his wife Mathilde, who contributes significantly to both the winemaking and the artistic side of the business by creating the distinctive labels that adorn their bottles.
The Gangloff family maintains a deliberately small-scale production, focusing on quality over quantity. Their holdings have gradually expanded over the decades, though they continue to operate as a boutique producer within the Northern Rhône. The transition from restaurant professional to vigneron has informed Yves' approach to winemaking, bringing a service-oriented perspective to his craft.
Vineyards & Wines
Domaine Gangloff's vineyards are located in the prestigious Northern Rhône appellations of Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu. In Côte-Rôtie, the domaine produces two distinct cuvées: La Barbarine, sourced primarily from the Côte Blonde, and La Sereine Noire, which comes predominantly from the Côte Brune. These steep, terraced vineyards feature the schist and granite soils typical of the region, with the Côte Blonde containing more granite and the Côte Brune more iron-rich schist.
The Côte-Rôtie wines are made from Syrah, occasionally incorporating a small percentage of Viognier as permitted by appellation regulations. In Condrieu, the domaine works exclusively with Viognier planted on granite soils, producing a wine that expresses the variety's aromatic potential. The vineyards are planted at varying elevations on the steep slopes characteristic of the Northern Rhône, with southern exposures that maximize sun exposure in this northern winegrowing region.
Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Domaine Gangloff balances traditional methods with practical considerations. In the vineyard, careful attention is paid to canopy management and yield control to ensure optimal ripeness. Harvesting is conducted by hand, necessary given the steep terrain of their vineyard sites.
For the red wines, fermentation occurs with partial stem inclusion, varying by vintage conditions. The Côte-Rôtie wines undergo aging in French oak barrels, with approximately 30% new oak, for around 18 months before bottling. The Condrieu sees less new oak to preserve the floral character of Viognier.
Gangloff's production methods emphasize minimal intervention in the winery, allowing the characteristics of each vineyard site to express themselves in the finished wines. The limited production volumes enable careful attention throughout the winemaking process, from grape sorting to bottling. This focused approach has established Domaine Gangloff as a producer of wines that faithfully represent their Northern Rhône origins.