Domaine de Bonserine Condrieu 2015
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Excellent as an aperitif wine, you can enjoy this wine with foie gras, scallops, goat cheese, etc.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
A gorgeous display of Cavaillon melon, green plum, Mirabelle plum and yellow apple fruit melds seamlessly, backed by a bright anise hint and ending with a subtle echo of pear. Showing terrific range, this delivers an intellectual and hedonistic experience. Drink now through 2021.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Starting with the Condrieu, notes of pineapple, apricot and flowers, as well as a beautiful powdered rock-like quality emerge from the 2015 Condrieu. This medium to full-bodied, rich, pure and elegant beauty has plenty of fruit, yet stays fresh and lively.
Our terroir is located primarily in the Côte-Rotie, where the soil is rich in iron-oxide, making powerful and colorful wines. Our first plots were planted in the 1950’s on the beautiful hillsides of Ampuis. The average age of the vines is 25 years and each year they provide "the best" of old vine Syrah.
In the second half of the 1990s, major modernization was undertaken using stainless steel tanks and other modern equipment. This period also marked the beginning of a decade of major changes in the vineyard with new plantings on the prestigious Viallière and Planèze parcels and better capitalization of the potential of each terroir.
Since 2006, Domaine de Bonserine has been owned by E.Guigal who has preserved our qualitative philosophy. Today, our wines are found on the finest tables around the world.
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.