Condrieu – terroirs & wines

The very best Condrieu is from narrow terraces perched on the right bank of the northern Rhône with soils which are a mix of schist, mica, clay and decomposed rock – known locally as arzelle . The wonderful aromatics achieved by Viognier in Condrieu are attributed to this soil. Although not as steep as Côte-Rôtie, planting remains difficult and mechanization is out of the question, and the rare and celebrated arzelle soil is always at risk from erosion. A great deal of back-breaking soil replenishment has to be done to reverse the consequences of this erosion. Cultivation on such precipitous slopes is always going to be challenging and Viognier exacerbates the problem, with its propensity to powdery mildew.

Harvesting is inured to the odd difficulty too. Under-ripe Viognier does not conceal anything; it is overly acidic, green and bitter. Super-ripe, it will arrest fermentation before the wine is totally dry. However when it shines, as it does so often in the Rhône generally and specifically in fine Condrieu, all is forgiven. Extreme rarity, allied to production risks and difficulties, go some way to account for the high prices achieved by this prized, unique style of wine.

Professionals disagree as to when it is best, some prefer the wines when they are young, others with some bottle age. Somewhat incongruously, we have found that lesser years tend to age better, presumably due to slightly elevated acidity but in the main the wines show well at two to three years of age.

Château Grillet

Within Condrieu, there lies an even more exclusive rarity, the tiny appellation Château Grillet. At just 2ha, this is the second smallest appellation in France, after La Romanée. The Château Grillet enclave is a monopole , under the single ownership of the Neyret-Gachet family since 1830. It consists of an amphitheatre of terraced, old vines, with an average age of forty years although some octogenarians can still be found. Château Grillet is situated 150m above the river Rhône and faces south/south-east, sheltered from the winds – the perfect microclimate for the slightly fickle Viognier grape.