Christine Vernay

Christine took over from her father at the head of Domaine Georges Vernay in 1996. Having grown up on the hillsides of Condrieu, she was a teacher at ENA after studying FLE and Italian at Paris III.

The Coteau de Vernon, with its eponymous cuvée, is where his grandfather Francis Vernay planted his first vines and vinified this cuvée as early as 1940. Her father, renowned for saving the Viognier grape variety, replanted this hillside in the late 60s. In 2005, Christine set about restoring the last part of this emblematic hillside, thus inscribing three generations on this historic site.

She has developed the estate from 14 to 24 hectares, introduced organic farming, restructured and enlarged the winery, extended the range of wines and continued to improve the estate in line with family values. The estate is fully certified organic and a member of Biodyvin.

Awards and distinctions :

2011: Knight of the National Order of Merit

2012: "Winemaker of the Year" by Bettane & Desseauve

2014: Nominated to the French Wine Academy

2018: Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit

2019: Full member of the Académie Internationale du Vin (AIV)

2020: 3* in the Guide Vert de la Revue du Vin de France

In 2021, his daughter Emma arrived at the Domaine to learn alongside him. Since then, they have run the estate together, Emma concentrating more on the vines and Christine on the vinifications.