Whenever I encounter a Condrieu like today’s, I think to myself, “I’ve got to drink more Condrieu.” This is high-impact white wine, at once rich and racy, and unlike anything else—so yes, as an ever-curious sommelier, I’ve got to have it. I know many of my peers feel the same, but there’s only one problem: There isn’t much great Condrieu to be had. The appellation only has about 200 hectares of vines in total, and when it comes to the Viognier grape, this is the place I need to be. It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed Viognier wines from elsewhere in the world, but in Condrieu, in the hands of a great producer like Vignobles Verzier, its exotic qualities are fused with a keen sense of place—soil character you can feel, along with the kind of cool-climate acidity that keeps any proclivity towards tropicality in check.
This is my long-winded way of saying you don’t know Viognier until you know Condrieu. This is arguably France’s most unique, place-specific white wine, of which a mere handful perform at the level of today’s exquisite 2018—simply one of the freshest examples of young Condrieu I’ve tasted. Superbly balanced and richly textured—its combination of vivacity and depth rivals anything from the top crus of Burgundy—this is a truly all-encompassing wine experience. Anyone who loves the great white wines of the world must add this to their list. No such list is complete without it!
The Verzier family has worked the soils surrounding the little village of Chavanay for almost 200 years. Their fates are intertwined with that of their land, and the happy symbiosis is evident in their robust good health and that of the wines they produce. Just about 50 kilometers from Lyon, the village is located in the cooler northern reaches of the Saint-Joseph AOC. The Verzier homestead is perched on a hillside overlooking both their vineyards in Saint-Joseph and in Condrieu, depending on which way you turn. The “Chante-Perdrix” estate is home, and today’s Viognier hails from its steep terraces stacked about the Rhône Valley at an altitude of about 200-300 meters. The grapes thrive on the hillside, sandwiched between rows of wild cover crop that prevents erosion and snugs the old vines tighter into the decomposed granite.
Philippe Verzier is responsible for planting some of those vines himself at the tender age of 19. The youngest of seven children, he took a particular interest in his family’s plots of old vines and in 1988 began replanting some acres of fruit and grain to Viogner. The Chante-Perdrix, or “singing partridge,” vineyard contains some of his very first vines. He took it upon himself to build a wine cellar and discontinue Verzier’s sales to négociants, deciding to estate-bottle the wines he began to craft with so much love and attention. His son Maxime has since caught the winemaking bug, and has worked harvests all around the world before joining Philippe in their native terroir, making wine shoulder to shoulder in the rich tradition of the region. Organic farming is paramount, and the Verziers proudly admit to “permanent questioning,” which allows them to evolve towards a more authentic wine every single vintage.
Their careful farming is designed to create Viognier with energy and nerve. The grape can be naturally low in acidity yet requires extended hang time on the vine for its full aromatic range to emerge, so there’s always the danger of skewing a little fat and sweet. Philippe and Maxime stay true to their course and push the vines to produce powerful but balanced grapes before harvesting by hand and fermenting with natural yeasts. The wine is aged in 500L barrels before being bottled with the lightest possible filtration—a real peek into Condrieu the way it is meant to be.
The resulting wine is superbly balanced without sacrificing any of the rich texture that makes Condrieu so hedonistic and satisfying. Let the wine breathe in the glass for a few minutes and marvel at the cushion of scent that develops—a pillow of orchard fruit and exotic floral notes that transport you to the Rhône’s baked terraces. You can almost hear the cicadas humming in Chavanay’s central square. The wine is a limped green-tinged straw in the glass, with obvious viscosity that’s more reminiscent of hot, runny honey than oil in both smell and feel. Intense pear, white nectarine, and meyer lemon rind take precedence on the palate, highlighted by zestier notes of ginger. The structure is what’s most surprising, here: Verzier’s Condrieu is mineral, taut, and has an impressively long finish. It actually makes your mouth water—easily one of the most energetic and full-bodied whites in France! A whiff of violet pastilles lingers like perfume on the finish and sticks in the imagination. This Condrieu can be enjoyed without food, but will do equally well with grilled tuna belly, lightly seasoned with fresh lemon juice and herbs. There are few more impactful whites to spend an afternoon with. Grab some!
