Yves Gangloff is considered to be one of the best producers in the Côte-Rôtie. In 1980 he left his home base in the Alsace to start working, with no previous experience, for Delas (one of the bigger négociants in Northern Rhône). During his seven years there he managed to acquire small plots of vineyards in Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie and eventually to establish his own domaine in 1988. He now owns 7.5 hectares (Condrieu, 1.8 ha, Côte-Rôtie, 2.4 ha, Saint-Joseph 1.5 ha, of which 1 ha was replanted in 2009.Gangloff is a ‘laissez faire’, but he is certainly not seeking certification as an organic grower. He allows nature to take its course where possible, and intervenes only if necessary to secure the quality of each year’s yield. In the cellar, natural yeast does its work during a traditional fermentation process without controle of temperature. All wines undergo malolactic fermentation in barriques, the length of which is adapted to the age of the vines. A new cellar has been under construction since 2013. As things now stand, it seems as if this rock-guitar playing wine producer will carry on for several years, and continue to invest in order to pass on an economically sustainable business to his son and daughter, both of whom have been closely involved in the company since the death of his wife Mathilde.Gangloff wines are like lacework and velvet from a granite soil, and require a certain amount of aging. The attractive labels are designed by his brother Pierre. The surge in international demand means that my allocation is small, but exclusive in the Netherlands.