Georges Lelektsoglou — or “George the Greek,” as everyone in Hermitage calls him — has become something of a Rhône oracle. His shop, Compagnie l’Hermitage, is a pilgrimage site for winemakers, sommeliers, and collectors who want to drink deeply from the region’s best-kept cellars. But Georges isn’t just a merchant — he’s a producer too, making tiny quantities of wine from extraordinary sites. His Châteauneuf-du-Pape comes from the sandy soils of Pignan, a neighbour to Rayas, and like Rayas, it manages to be both powerful and weightless. His Côte-Rôtie “La Brocarde” is granite-born and slow to reveal itself. Just one barrel each of these top cuvees is made, and they're released on their own terms, long after others in the region. Even his so-called “entry-level” wines, like the Cairanne Vieilles Vignes, have their own underground following. The local demand for the wines is so intense, we're pleased to offer them to you today.
Adrien, Georges son, runs the wine bar Le Bateau Ivre in Tain l'Hermitage — it’s fabulous, with over 800 wines and a relaxed charm that draws everyone from local winemakers to travelling enthusiasts. Don’t miss it if you’re in the area. His other two sons, Hector and Charalambos, work with their father in the shop and making wine.
