The landscape of the tiny Condrieu AOC in France’s northern Rhône valley is both spectacular and treacherous. Steep, exposed hillsides are covered with terraces first created by the Romans. The best vineyards are so steep, in fact, that they can only be worked by hand (and the occasional donkey), and soil erosion is a constant concert. It is backbreaking work, but the views, and the resulting wine, are breathtaking

Viognier is the only grape variety permitted in Condrieu. It is an ancient grape, and some have hypothesized that it was brought to Rhône by the Romans (the nearby town of Vienne was a major Roman city). For much of the 20th century, though, Condrieu and Viognier faced extinction. Few locals wanted to continue Condrieu’s winemaking tradition - then virtually unknown outside the region - and toil in the unforgiving vineyards. Additionally, Viognier can be a difficult to grow. It is prone to powdery mildew, has low and unpredictable yields, and a fairly narrow harvesting window. Perhaps it is not surprising that many landowners chose to replant the terraces with more profitable crops. The situation became so dire that in 1965 only eight acres remained under vine in the entire northern Rhône! Thankfully, the profile and popularity of Condrieu has since risen dramatically as intrepid winemakers, and later critics and consumers, have rediscovered this wonderful white wine.

Continue reading to learn about the Condrieu producers featured at Farmstead Cheeses and Wines. Not all wines are in both shops, so if you don’t see the wine you’re looking for let us know and we’ll be happy to transfer it over.

Francois Villard
Known as a Condrieu “Master,” Villard owns about 15 acres and produces small amounts of highly allocated bottlings. Formerly a chef, he brings a skilled palate to the winery to produce wines of power and grace that age for years.

Villard’s strategy is to allow for the most optimal ripening possible. His wines are rich and concentrated with complex aromas of peaches, apricots, honeysuckle, and honey. They are often allowed to develop botrytis - the same “noble rot” that affects the vineyards of Sauternes - and most of the wines pass through wood aging for an extended amount of time to prepare them for a very long life in bottle.

2009 Villard Les Terrasses du Palat - $65

• 100% Viognier, barrel-fermented (25% new oak), aged on the lees for 6 months, followed by 10 months in barrel

2008 Villard DePoncins - $72

• 100% Viognier, barrel-fermented (40% new oak), aged on the lees for 6 months
• 93 pts. Wine Spectator - This sports extra ripeness for the vintage, with layers of quince, mango, green plum and pear held together by bright fennel, orange blossom and mineral notes that extend through the finish. Long and enticing.

Yves Cuilleron
Cuilleron does not strictly adhere to any one philosophy when it comes to his vineyards.  Instead, he does what is best for the vines in any given situation.  This usually means organic farming techniques and lots of labor-intensive vineyard work. This helps ensure that Cuilleron’s grapes receive adequate sunlight and ventilation throughout the growing season and are harvested at optimum ripeness. In the cellar Cuilleron’s motto is “Keep things as simple as possible.”  The wines are fermented in barrel with native yeasts and aged in 1 to 5 year-old French Oak barrels for 9 months.

2007 Cuilleron Condrieu “La Petite Cote” - $74

• 92 pts. Wine Spectator, 90 Tanzer
• 100% Viognier; strong pear, peach and floral aromas; flavors of the same with citrus and a brisk finish.

2006 Cuilleron Condrieu “Les Ayguets” - $110

• 94 pts Wine Spectator, 93 pts. Tanzer
• 100% Viognier; a decadent dessert wine; pit fruit, melon, and spice of the nose; full-bodied, creamy peach and pear flavors with a touch of minerality.  Plush and sweet.

Les Vins de Vienne
This is a collaboration between four of the Northern Rhône’s greatest winemakers: Yves Cuilleron, Francois Villard, Pierre Galliard, and Pierre-Jean Villa. Villa oversees the daily operations of this ‘micro-negociant’ operation. Using estate and purchased fruit, the winemakers seek to highlight the varied terroirs of the northern Rhône valley.

2008 Les Vins de Vienne Condrieu - $55

• 100% Viognier, aged for 9 months on the lees, 50% in barrel, 50% in stainless steel
• 90 pts. Wine Spectator - Bright and fresh, with tangy green apple, lime, green melon and tarragon notes stretching through the tangerine-tinged finish. This has the crunchy acidity of the vintage, with ample length.

Gangloff       
Founded in 1988, the Gangloff estate comprises over 11 acres in Condrieu and the northern Rhône. Their Condrieu comes from two lieux-dits: le Côteau de Chéry and la Côte Bonnette, both with the desirable southern exposure. Yves Gangloff has earned a reputation as one of the new young Turks of the appellation.

2007 Gangloff Condrieu - $96

• 100% Viognier, barrel-fermented
• 92 Wine Spectator - This has a gorgeous mouthfeel, with intense peach, apricot, star fruit and mineral notes that all weave through the racy, full-bodied finish. At once lush and invigorating.

Guigal
Guigal is perhaps the best-known producer in the northern Rhône. Here’s what Robert Parker had to say about the estate in February 2011.
 

I still believe the red wines are the heart and soul of Maison Guigal, but the quality of the white wines has gone from strength to strength over the last few decades, and the Guigal family now routinely produces some of the finest dry whites of the entire Rhone Valley, including their humble Cotes du Rhone, and more particularly their white cuvees of Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, Hermitage and Condrieu. They produce more of the latter wine than any other proprietor of this tiny appellation.

2007 Guigal - $57

• 100% Viognier, 30year-old vines, fermentation in ⅓ new French Oak barrels and ⅔ in stainless steel tanks, 100% malolactic fermentation, aging in 100% new French Oak
• 91 pts Wine Spectator - Very juicy, with green almond, fig and anise notes waiting to come out from behind the fennel and mineral. Long finish.
• 89 pts Robert Parker - Crisp, tart acids in addition to fresh, lively notes of honeyed apricots, peaches, and lychee nuts.

2005 Guigal - $57

• 91 pts Wine Spectator - Concentrated, almost muscular, but stays bright, with lots of almond, anise, peach and mineral flavors that pump through the finish.
• 89 pts Robert Parker - The 2005 Condrieu (two-thirds aged in stainless steel and one-third in barrel) is holding up beautifully. It reveals aromas of flowers, white peaches, nectarines, and mineral as well as citrus oil in the background.

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