The Cave de Tain co-operative in Tain l'Hermitage inaugurated a new wine cellar last week at a cost of 10 million euros ($12.5 million). It replaced one built 40 years ago.
The highly regarded co-operative, which celebrated its 80th anniversary a year ago, makes 50 percent of the wine in the northern section of the Rhône Valley.
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Xavier Gomart, the director of the co-operative, said that the increased number of tanks and barrels in the new cellar will allow it not only to increase capacity but also to be more selective in terms of the number of different wines it produces.
The new vinification cellar – already used for the 2014 vintage – replaces one that was very modern when it was built 40 years ago. Reflecting the fact that red wines dominate at this cellar, the 35 new tanks, of varying sizes, are made of concrete.
This year, a new Cornas old vine selection and a new Hermitage cuvée have been produced.
At the same time, a new barrel cellar was constructed with 280 barrels for fine white wines such as Hermitage Au Coeur des Siècles, along with three small concrete tanks of 600 liters for its top Crozes-Hermitage wines, such as a varietal Roussanne.
The co-operative's president Jacques Alloncle said the aim was to develop the quality that the co-operative is already recognized for and believes that the new building will last them 40 years like the previous cellar. He suggested that some of the co-operative's members, who between them farm over 1000 hectares (2500 acres), might question why so much investment was given to the new cellar, but he believes it is an investment in the future.
Jancis Robinson spoke on behalf of the international group of journalists present at the inauguration: "The Cave de Tain has always been run with real passion for wine quality and an understanding of the consumer. It is one of the best cooperative cellars in France, but also one of the best producers of northern Rhônes. I'm looking forward to even more varied wines after these investments."
The next project being undertaken by the Cave de Tain is a new wine tourism center, due to open in spring 2015. Visitors will be able to take a walkway through the cellars and barrel store, and visit a bottle-aging cellar with 16,000 bottles of Hermitage, dating back to 1933. The existing wine shop will be expanded.
