2016 Condrieu Vernillon
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Tasting notes
Still fairly pale in colour, with a waxy tone to the nose that shows smoky apricot fruit and tarte Tatin. There is more than a whiff of Chenin Blanc about this wine, which follows on the palate with its fleshy baked-apple and peach fruit, waxy tones and admirable freshness. This is not for the long haul but it is an interesting and delicious interpretation of Viognier. (TP)
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Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Tom Parker MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
(raised in a 50/50 combination of stainless steel tanks and used 300-liter oak barrels) Green-hued straw-yellow. Penetrating citrus and orchard fruit scents are complemented by suggestions of chalky minerals and violet. Juicy and concentrated but lively in style, offering vibrant pear and Meyer lemon flavors that show strong mineral drive and sharp focus. The mineral note carries emphatically through the incisive finish, which lingers with strong persistence.
The 2016 Condrieu Vernillon comes from a tiny 0.5 hectare of vines and was bottled at the end of June. It offers lots of spice, white peach, and a saline-like minerality on both the nose and palate. Clean, elegant, and beautifully balanced, it shows the purity and elegance of the 2016 vintage nicely. Readers looking for classic, old-school, age-worthy Cote Rotie should look no further than the wines from Jean-Paul and Corinne Jamet. While 2015 is an incredible vintage for this estate, the 2016s are also some of the more impressive in the appellation.
In only its second vintage, the 2016 Condrieu Vernillon has seemingly hit its stride. Aged half in barrels and half in stainless steel, it's not that floral but instead is richly textured, loaded with ripe apricot flavors. It has a plump, succulent feel to it, then finishes with lingering hints of spice and honey. Delicious now, it should drink well for a few years.