As the third generation steward at the helm of the great family legacy, Christine Vernay and her husband Paul Amsellem have brought Domaine Georges Vernay’s reputation to even greater heights with their award-winning inclusion of Côte-Rôtie wines in the family line-up. Once known singularly for Condrieu, Georges Vernay was actually responsible for saving the appellation of Condrieu in the 1960’s when it was a mere eight hectares at the onset of his tenure. Today, Condrieu is thriving once again and the domaine includes carefully maintained parcels in Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint Joseph, and today’s wine, coming from a special parcel just south of Côte-Rôtie. All of these Northern Rhône wines are reflective of the terroir’s specific characteristics and beauty; this particular offer undoubtedly delivers the greatest price-to-quality value on the market. If you love Syrah, you must give this a try.This wine displays a dark purple core with magenta and pink reflections on the rim. The nose exudes classic Northern Rhône Syrah that offers intense floral aromatics and wild black and blue fruit including wild blackberries, blueberries, plums and blackcurrants, punctuated by incredibly fresh violets and wild brush over a background of meat, tobacco, black pepper and crushed granite. The compact palate boasts superbly polished tannins with flavors reminiscent of the nose that seduce the senses with wild, freshly picked black and blue fruits and fine granitic minerality. This wine is nearly impossible to put down. For a memorable pairing, try this roast baby lamb with wild fennel.