French winemakers have spent centuries perfecting the ideal marriages of grape and land. Each region has its own match: Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Sauvignon blanc in Sancerre, Merlot in Bordeaux, Grenache in the Rhône, etc.
One particularly happy union is that Viognier and Condrieu, perched on the steep slopes of the Northern Rhône valley. Grown elsewhere, Viognier can be heavy and flat — in Condrieu, it reaches magnificence. Condrieu is a tiny appellation — just over half a square mile of vines. But it produces one of the world’s great white wines, as complex aromatically as it is elegant and mouthfilling on the palate.
We’ve now source two Condrieus (look in Sunday’s March Futures for a third), and while they’ll never be among our top selling wines, we’re always glad to have them around.
Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond’s 2020 Condrieu is a masterpiece, achieving soaring balance between minerals, fruit, freshness, aromas and texture. Look for a vibrant mouthfeel with plush notes of nectarine, pear, and orange blossom. This finishes dry but is bursting with delicious ripe fruit. This is explosively expressive, you’ll smell it from a glass that’s 10 feet away.
Domaine de Boisseyt’s 2018 Condrieu is less exuberant, but no less charming. With two extra years in the bottle this shows a drier, more savory side of the grape, with more intensity and a refined, serious mouthfeel. Look for restrained oak alongside notes of peaches and white flowers. This is delicious and tightly wound, middle-weight rather than huge, and with excellent concentration and focus.
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Bonnefond Condrieu 2020
bottle price: $62
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De Boisseyt Condrieu 2018
bottle price: $58