Sometimes it’s best to be blunt: Today, we’re offering one of the greatest white wines in the world. Especially as grown on the terraces of the Coteau de Vernon, the most iconic single vineyard in the Condrieu AOC, Viognier stands shoulder-to-shoulder not only with other aromatic varieties like Riesling but with the most textured and mineral Chardonnays of Burgundy.
You don’t see a lot of Condrieu on wine lists, or store shelves, because there isn’t a lot of Condrieu in existence—at present, the appellation has fewer than 200 hectares of vineyards in production—so let’s cut to the chase: Yves Cuilleron is an acknowledged master of Condrieu, and “Vernon” is Condrieu’s acknowledged ‘Grand Cru.’ Anyone who appreciates truly great white wine—whether it’s Grand Cru white Burgundy, grosses gewächs German Riesling, Loire Valley Chenin, whatever—will fall hard for Condrieu’s lushly textured tangle of citrus, florals, herbs, and crushed-granite minerality. Cuilleron’s ’16 from “Vernon” deserves to be chiseled into white wine’s Mount Rushmore. It’s that good—and that special.
I’ll be honest: I don’t drink a ton of Viognier. Outside of Condrieu especially, the variety tends to get a little too hedonistic—too oily, too floral, too alcoholic, and too sweet (or sweet-seeming). Viognier is naturally low in acidity and requires extended hang time on the vine for its full aromatic range to emerge, so there’s always the danger of the wine skewing a little fat and flabby. In Condrieu, however, with its decomposed granite soils and relatively cool climate, the variety develops amazing aromatic complexity and textural depth while retaining plenty of acidity and, just as important, a firm mineral imprint. The Coteau de Vernon (which is also farmed by stellar producers such as Georges Vernay and Domaine de Chambeyron) is an incredibly steep, terraced amphitheater facing due south; it is the acknowledged crown jewel of Condrieu, the place where Viognier achieves its high-wire balance of rich fruit and refreshment.
I first met Yves Cuilleron in 2007. At the time, I was living in Las Vegas while working as part of a team that had just opened an ambitious restaurant project. My colleagues and I were all starstruck when, one night, Yves came through the door with his close friends and fellow Northern Rhône superstars, Yves Gangloff and François Villard. This “dream team” enjoyed their evening together while I pulled corks from a variety of rare gems and, before leaving, they invited me to visit them in the Rhône. Less than one month later, I was on a plane to France. Visiting with Cuilleron was one of the highlights of a three-week trip. Yves opened 14 or 15 bottles dating back to his first vintages in the late 1980s, and for the first time, my eyes opened widely to the impressive cellaring potential of Condrieu. This region is sometimes misunderstood as exclusively producing “young-drinking,” fruity wines, but that is only one facet of Condrieu’s appeal. After my visit, Yves sent me away with six of the opened wines, all of which improved for days after (a clear indication of their aging potential). So, take my word: If stored properly, Condrieu—especially from a top estate like Cuilleron—holds undeniable promise to improve for years in the cellar.
Befitting its vineyard pedigree, Cuilleron’s Vernon bottling spent 18 months aging in French oak barrels (one-third new), during which time the lees were stirred regularly (bâtonnage) but the wine was not racked (transferred from barrel to barrel) to preserve freshness. In the glass, it’s a viscous and glistening yellow-gold moving to silver and straw at the rim, with characteristically heady and exotic aromas of orange oil, apricots, white flowers, sage, beeswax, clove, crushed rocks, and flint. It is full-bodied and juicy but with the kind of racy acidity and spicy minerality most Viogniers lack. After 30 minutes in a decanter, it’s a spectacularly complex white to enjoy now, lip-smackingly delicious with roast chicken, saucy fish, or even some richer, more assertive styles of cheese (gorgonzola; Époisses). Personally, I love great Condrieu with lobster, and this is great Condrieu, so…it’s time to pull out the stops and let this singular white shine bright. Enjoy!
