Winemaker Notes
Condrieu Clos Boucher is light gold in color, with some deeper golden tinges. Its nose shows deep aromas that are reminiscent of exotic fruit and crystallized peach. This is a very concentrated wine which produces a lots of intense, ripe flavors on the palate. Its smooth texture is enhanced by a subtle touch of oak, which gives it an added dimension and distinctive character.
A lovely compliment to asparagus, steamed fish with butter sauce, and citrus cooked chicken.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A step up, the bigger, richer 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher is blockbuster stuff, offering serious notes of crushed rock, buttered citrus, orange blossom, and a smoky, meaty, mineral character that’s hard to describe. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate concentration and a seamless texture, this beauty will be even better this time next year and keep for 4-6 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Fermented and aged entirely in new oak, the 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher nevertheless exudes the essence of Viognier with its spicy-floral aromas and flavors. Ginger, white pepper and nasturtium blossom all feature in this medium to full-bodied wine, plus layers of ripe apricots and candied pineapple emerging in support. Drink this over the next 5 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Layers of spice, vanilla and toast are integrated from nose to palate in this elegant Condrieu. It's an unctuous, textured sip marked by silken waves of orange water, blossom and cream. The acidity is soft but lemony, lending freshness to a salty, savory hazelnut finish.
Editors' Choice
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Wine & Spirits
From a south-facing parcel near the tiny appellation of Château Grillet, this shows its power in the tightness of its build and depth of its savor. The flavors recall a peach in its entirety, from the bitter nap of the fuzz to the nuttiness of the pit; viognier’s floral notes flirt around the edges, more herbal than sweet. It’s young, and yet the restraint makes it easy to drink. The best thing to do would be to buy a case and watch it over the next decade.
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Wine Spectator
Plump in feel, with rich, tropical flavors of ripe melon and pear, glazed peach and anise. The broad finish offers a whiff of almond cream. Drink now through 2020.
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James Suckling
Plenty of bright, ripe apricot and white peach fruits on the nose, with an array of poached pear fruits on the palate. Extremely fresh.
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.