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The wines > Condrieu

• ANDRÉ PERRET
  

  LVT 2008 r 2008 wh The Condrieu Clos Chanson and Chéry are STGT wines. André is a great and leading exponent of the Viognier, securing rich and full complexity, notably in the Chéry. All the whites, including the St-Joseph blanc, are accomplished. The reds reflect the northern St-Joseph style of pepper, and tightly textured black fruit. The old vine Les Grisières is a wine to leave until 4-5 years old. He has been working the soil since 2005 and has invested in hot and cold cellar systems: things are on the go here. His little white wine, the Marsanne vin de pays, is a must buy if you are passing his door.

• CHATEAU DU ROZAY
  

  Some of the best vineyard sites and oldest Viognier at Condrieu Owner unable to make the economics pay and since 2004 sells crop to Chapoutier, working the vineyard under their supervision In its heyday - the 1970s and part of the 1980s - was one of the best, most flamboyant Condrieus

• CHRISTIAN FACCHIN
  

  LVT 2008 A small domaine for elegant wines, that are carefully made. In his late fifties, Christian Facchin has a relaxed approach.

• DOMAINE CHRISTOPHE PICHON
  

  LVT 2008 r 2008 wh An STGT producer for his Condrieu. This is an improving, good quality estate. The Condrieu is refined and stylish, with good, decisive flavours and a mineral content. The St-Joseph and Côte-Rôtie are respectable, but can suffer from excess extraction and oak.

• DOMAINE FAURY
  

  LVT 2008 r 2009 wh This is a reliable domaine for those who like wines with personality. Some of the wines here are STGT, and pure - notably the Condrieu Tradition. Son Lionel has taken over from Philippe. There is generally relaxed winemaking, not given to excess extraction. The straight Saint-Joseph red is usually a sound example of uncomplicated, clean-drinking Syrah, but has lightened recently, with more effort in the special Gloriette red. The Côte-Rôtie carries an excessive 15% Viognier that masks its clarity.

• DOMAINE GEORGES VERNAY
  

  LVT 2008 r wh The Condrieu Coteau de Vernon is a majestic, complex wine, one that I define as STGT: it lives for a very long time - easily 25 years in the best vintages. This is the top house for elegant, utterly refined Condrieu. Clean winemaking accentuates well-cut fruit. There are charming, refined Côte-Rôties; the Maison Rouge can fill out well, with a tannic support in evidence There is promising red Saint-Joseph La Dame Brune, good to drink from 4 years old onwards

• DOMAINE MOUTON PÈRE ET FILS
  

  LVT 2007 r wh This has been a mixed farm, but son Jean-Claude is steering it more towards wine. There are still a few apricots and some cereal. The cellar was redone in 2006 - cooling and heating equipment installed and more space. Quality here is quietly on the up. The Condrieu Bonnette shows more grip and minerality than the Châtillon (except in 2006), although the latter is considered to love longer by Jean-Claude Mouton. For 37 years mother Jannette had run the Auberge opposite, an inn owned by her family since the 1700s. She retired in the early 2000s.

• DOMAINE PORTE
  

  LVT 2008 Patrice Porte goes from one set-up to the next. He is talented, used to work for Guigal, was under the vernay wing a long time ago, now has started again on his own after a break of 2 or 3 vintages. The Domaine in 2005 was called Porte-Vincent. All vineyards are well situated in the central Condrieu area. Patrice Porte comes from an old Condrieu winemaking family.

• FRANÇOIS MERLIN
  

  LVT 2009 r 2009 wh STGT domaine of definite promise. François Merlin is dedicated to making his wines with great care and thought. These are clear-cut wines that show good fullness and the ability to blossom after three years.

• FRANÇOIS VILLARD
  

  LVT 2007 r 2008 wh Formerly the home of ample, plush Condrieu, with a policy of late picking and noble rot that were directly aimed to accentuate that appeal, and also hide the youth of the vine fruit. "My wines are calmer, like me!", claims François in late 2009. The wines have immediate flair and lots of life in them. The winemaking is modern, with new oak a constant feature. Villard has been restraining himself on the cellar techniques in the last two or three vintages, and the wines sit more comfortably in the glass as a result. The Côte-Rôtie La Brocarde is becoming a wine of serious stature. The Saint-Josephs are consistent, sound wines - the Reflet red with its oak needs laying down for 4 years or so. Villard is one of the four growers running the Vins de Vienne négociant business and the Seyssuel vineyards that produce Sotanum and Taburnum vins de pays. He has half a hectare of his own Seyssuel Syrah, giving the Seul en Scène red wine.

• GERARD VILLANO
  

  Simple Condrieu, robust St-Joseph. Traditional outlook.

• GILBERT CHIRAT
  

  33% of the production is sold to merchants. There is a sensible, measured approach to winemaking and vineyard care.

• JURIE DES CAMIERS
  

• MARIE and PIERRE BENETIÈRE
  

  LVT 2009 r True, terroir expressive wines, in the mould of their maker.

• MARIE-PAULE and PIERRE DUMAZET
  

  LVT 2006 wh Late picking tendency on Viognier for extra richness. Lovely opulence in these wines as a rule Good quality Vin de pays, Côtes du Rhône Viognier from own small vineyards Small merchant business working with well-chosen sites at Cornas, St-Joseph, Côte-Rôtie Pierre worked in metallurgy because holdings are so small

• RÉMI and ROBERT NIÉRO
  

  LVT 2008 wh 2006 r Son Rémi, a mechanical engineer, came back to the domaine in 2004. He doubles up his time with work in the Vaucluse for a harvest machine company at Pertuis. Condrieu Les Ravines is elegant, the Chéry more solid. They can be very good, and recent signs indicate a gentle upward trend in quality. The Côte-Rôtie is all bottled - the crop used to be sold to Guigal. A new wine was introduced in 2006, Vires de Serine - new oak raised, from the best crop - a good first effort.

• YVES and MATHILDE GANGLOFF
  

  LVT 2007 r wh There is beautiful elegance in the Condrieu, a wine that has gained in dimension and depth in recent years. The Côte-Rôties also show the domaine`s trade mark finesse and stylish fruit, with the Sereine Noire capable of sound evolution.

• YVES CUILLERON
  

  LVT 2008 wh 2007 r Full, open wines from Condrieu with a conscious policy of later picking to accentuate the muskiness and exotic side of the Viognier. Les Chaillets is one of the top wines of Condrieu. The Côte-Rôties are marked by new oak - Terres Sombres handles it better than the softer Bassenon. Yves has a special flair for his white wines - more so than the reds. Beyond his extremely accomplished Condrieus are two minor gems - the vins de pays Marsanne and Viognier are both very good.