2016 Condrieu Les Chaillées de l'Enfer

Even better, the 2016 Condrieu Les Chaillees de l'Enfer is vinified and aged in 25% new French oak (it’s made in the same fashion as the Coteau de Vernon). It would probably be the wine of the vintage if it wasn’t for its big brother. This vibrant gold-colored beauty boasts a huge nose of citrus blossom, tangerine, white flowers, citrus zest, and ample minerality. This is all about purity, finesse, and focus, with medium body, good acidity, and a terrific sense of salty minerality on the finish. It’s another brilliant wine from Madame Vernay. At the top of the hierarchy of Condrieu, Domaine Vernay has been run by Christine Vernay since 1997, when she took over from her father, George Vernay. These wines go from strength to strength, and today she fashions an IGP Viognier, three Condrieu, an IGP Syrah, a handful Saint Joseph, and two Côte Rôties. The majority of the 2015s were reviewed last year, so this report focuses primarily on her 2016s. Christine commented that the vintage started slowly with a rainy, cold spring, but quickly warmed going into summer and early fall, with beautiful weather at the end of the year. I was able to taste two 2017s, and while a hot, more challenging vintage, she appears to have handled the year with ease, and the wines are upfront, perfumed, and sexy, yet also pure.