Tardieu-Laurent

Overview

Michel Tardieu is one of the most highly acclaimed négociants in the Rhône. With just a little more than a decade of experience, Michel has built his passion into a successful business with a faithful following among wine enthusiasts. 

His foray into the wine business began when he was working as a chauffeur for Conseil Général du Vaucluse. This position provided him with the opportunity to fuel his lifelong passion for wine and food with knowledge and skills gained on the job.  

Soon he was consulting for friends on wine lists for their restaurants. It was during this time he formed a stronger interest in the business of wine, inspiring him to begin his career as a négociant. In 1996, Tardieu-Laurent Vallée du Rhône Maison de Négoce was launched, which made its inaugural foray into the United States with the 1994 vintage. 

Within a decade, Michel had mastered the technical and commercial decisions of his business. Today, he shepherds approximately 17 distinctive wines into bottle each year divided between southern and northern Rhône.  

Michel’s vision is clear: Use grapes from the best regions and vineyards with the oldest vines — often between 50 and 100 years old; work with vignerons who farm in complete symbiosis with nature, using neither chemicals nor artificial fertilizers; continually refine the process of aging wines, always pushing the limits; and stay as close as possible to the grape and to the terroir. The result is wines with full, free and immediate expression.

As a result of Michel’s meticulous management, every one of his wines expresses his unmistakable signature — artisanal cuvées with a new-world style — earning him the endearing title of “Haute Négoce.”