Winemaker Notes
Saint Cosme Condrieu shows classic aromas and flavors of dried apricot, peach, and orange blossom with fennel, anise, and elderflower. Twelve months of aging on its fine lees in used Burgundian pièce brings texture to the palate. This is a classic Condrieu.
Viognier aged in neutral barrels has a full body and rich texture with medium acidity. It is easily paired with dishes that feature creamy sauces, mild white fish, and roasted pork or chicken.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Starts off plump and round, with star fruit, pink grapefruit and fennel, and then quickly takes on a restrained, racy edge, with celery seed and blanched almond cruising alongside smoky, salty flintiness. Offers great tension and freshness, with the silky palate still tightly wound. There are touches of acacia and white flowers on the finish. Drink now through 2030. 90 cases imported.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Honeyed citrus, apricot, white flowers, and crushed stone minerality all emerge from the 2023 Condrieu. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully textured on the palate, it shows the rich, supple style of the vintage yet stays balanced and pure. This classic Condrieu will be best enjoyed over the coming 5-7 years. Drink 2025-2032.
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Vinous
Bottled in July 2024, the 2023 Condrieu unfurls with vivid orange blossom, apricot, ripe peach and a touch of quince. Lemon flesh adds more nuance. Medium- to full-bodied and creamy textured, the generous 2023 boasts sufficient freshness to keep it all in check. It closes with a resonant echo on the complex finish.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
As the source of some of the most vibrant and powerful white wines in France, Condrieu is uniquely situated in one of the northern outposts of the Rhone River. It is the original Viognier appellation with a wine growing history reaching back well over two thousand years. Like most of the wine regions of the Northern Rhone, Condrieu’s vines grow on extremely steep and narrow granite terraces. But what makes the region unique is a topsoil, locally called, “arzelle,” made of decomposed mica. This and a sheltering of the harsh northern winds, make optimal sites to produce opulent and brilliant Viognier. It is a tiny zone with no room for expansion and produces miniscule amounts of wine each year, contributing to its allure.
A fine Condrieu will have aromas and flavors suggestive of ripe stone fruit, lime peel, green almond, ginger, white flowers and toasted nuts. A honeyed smell may mislead you to think the wine will be sweet but the modern style favors totally dry on the palate. Its texture will be full and soft but a touch of mineral will provide great balance.