Christine Vernay

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

The Coteau de Vernon, with its eponymous cuvée, was where her grandfather Francis Vernay planted his first vines and vinified this cuvée as early as 1940, and which his father, renowned for saving the Viognier grape variety, replanted in the late 60s. In 2005, Christine set about restoring the last part of this emblematic hillside, thus inscribing 3 generations on this historic site.

Christine developed the estate from 14 to 24 hectares, introduced organic farming, restructured and enlarged the winery, broadened the range of products on offer and continued to develop the estate in line with family values. The Domaine is fully certified in Organic Agriculture and a member of Biodyvin.

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 Revue du Vin de France's Guide Vert 2020

2021 : Christine's daughter Emma joins the estate to learn alongside her. Since then, they've both been running the estate, Emma more in the vineyard and Christine still in winemaking.