Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Georges Vernay is known as the “King of Condrieu” and was responsible for the growth and worldwide recognition of this small appellation during the 1950s. His estate covers 22 hectares of vineyards, six of which are in the Côte Rôtie appellation. The steep and uneven vineyards make mechanical labour impossible. The vines are manually cultivated without the use of residual herbicide or insecticide. Georges’ daughter, Christine, returned to her roots with Paul Anselem, her Parisian husband, and has looked after the winemaking since 1997, gaining worldwide recognition for her Côte Rôtie wines. In 2019, Domaine Georges Vernay was awarded the prestigious 3 stars by ‘La Revue du Vin de France’.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The term “Chaillées” comes from the regional dialect, meaning ‘rocky’ and refers to the dry stone walls that form the terraces of this plot. In the past, those who came across the plot would often be heard to say “On est à l’Enfer” which translates as ‘we are in Hell’, due to the intense heat endured on these south-facing plots. The vineyard is situated in the heart of Condrieu and comprises two hectares of south-facing biotite, granite terraces. The vines were planted in 1957 and are on Richter 110 rootstocks and pruned to the simple Guyot style. Planted at a density of between 8,000 to 10,000 vines per hectare, they yield just 30 hectolitres per hectare. Due to the steep hillsides, the use of machines is impossible; therefore, the vineyard is maintained manually and sustainably, without the use of weed killers or insecticides. The vineyard has been certified organic since the 2020 vintage.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes were manually harvested at full maturity of 13 to 14 degrees, and they were then meticulously sorted and pressed. After a static temperature-controlled must settling, the clear juice was fermented in 225-litre barriques, lasting approximately four to five weeks. The wine was matured on its fine lees in oak barrels of which 25% were new, for 12 months, with regular bâtonnage, which imparted complexity and volume to the resulting wine.

OUR TASTING NOTE:
This Condrieu displays all the hallmarks of a very fine Viognier. Complex stone fruit characters of fresh peach and apricot combine with nuances of exotic fruit, mineral notes and a delicate saline note. Exquisite.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Viognier 100%.