2016 Condrieu Les Vieilles Vignes de Jacques Vernay

The super-informative front label tells us that the vineyard is on a 12% gradient planted at 310 m. Eight months in 17 hl foudres and demi-muids. Granite soils, south facing. Wild yeast ferment. It tells us which parcels were selected, and the harvest date. Woo hoo! Quite rich fruit; very opulent and hedonistic (compared with the Georges Vernay 'take it or leave it' approach). Very subtle. (JR)

(made from vines planted in 1948) Pale yellow. High-pitched, mineral-accented orange, pear and violet aromas show impressive focus and pick up a hint of sweet butter with air. Silky and sharply focused on entry, then fleshier in the midpalate, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit and honeydew flavors complemented by a spicy ginger quality. Finishes with powerful mineral cut and firm thrust, leaving energetic floral and mineral notes behind.

A more limited production cuvée, the 2016 Condrieu Les Vieilles Vignes De Jacques Vernay is also beautiful, yet shows a more fresh, focused, racy style. Exotic citrus, lime, and white grapefruit notes all give way to a medium to full-bodied Condrieu that has considerable freshness and focus. Drink this exotic, layered, crisp Condrieu over the coming 7-8 years. I was able to taste the 2015s from the incredibly talented Stéphane Ogier twice, once during my visit at the estate, which was just after bottling, and then again from bottles shipped to my office in Colorado. These are ripe, polished, sexy wines from Stéphane that show the purity as well as the opulence of this great, great vintage. The 2016 vintage was compared to 2006 by Ogier, which was a solid, under the radar vintage from the northern Rhône. The barrel samples all showed terrific purity of fruit and balanced styles, and should check in near the top of the vintage. This estate is certainly at the top of its game and readers looking for some of the most profound Côte Rôties out there are advised to get on this estate’s bandwagon.