Having an ABC day? Anything But Chardonnay? Yet you’re still in the mood for something white and fancy because life is too short? THIS. Not just Viognier (vee-o-knee-yay), but Condrieu (cohn-dree-uh). We debated whether the few bottles we have will be enough to go around. Probably not. But this rare pearl was too good to pass up. Back in the 1960s, Viognier nearly went extinct, and the entire Condrieu appellation today covers only about 200 hectares of vines.

The family that brought it back from the brink? Vernay. Georges Vernay is credited with saving Condrieu, and as Wine Spectator wrote, the domaine “is the reference point for the Condrieu appellation.”

This is all estate fruit, grown on small parcels on Vernay’s steep granite terraces. The slopes are too steep for machines, so every vine is worked by hand. The whole estate is certified organic, too. Christine Vernay made this 2020, and Jeb Dunnuck called it “a great introduction to the style of this estate.”

We tasted it just last month and it’s drinking beautifully. Open it, pour a glass, and let the rest sit open in the bottle for about 30 minutes. Then yellow peach and jasmine float up on the nose, followed by riper tangerine and peach, a streak of minerality and a kiss of oak. Medium bodied, edging toward full, with a lovely lingering finish. It’s still so pretty. Agent Brut who is a frenchy lover too found it hard to contain his excitement.

This producer is an Operative favorite and Agent Noir’s favorite Condrieu producer, full stop.

Jamie Goode went to 95 Points and wrote “Lovely depth here with a mineral edge.”

Rhône specialist Jeb Dunnuck says of the estate, “the benchmark estate in Condrieu is unquestionably that of Christine Vernay… readers looking for the best Condrieu has to offer need look no further.”

$115 asking. $60 here. $55 under asking for the family that saved Condrieu. Make room in your stash. Chardonnay can sit this one out. 🥂

95 Points - WineAnorak ”Textural and spicy with lively apricot and spice, as well as some pear and peach richness. Lovely depth here with a mineral edge. Expressive fruit.”

93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck ”Starting with the 2020 Condrieu Les Terrasses De L’Empire, this is a rich, opulent Condrieu sourced from younger vines (which aren’t that young, averaging 30 years in age) and is vinified in wooded tanks and older Bordeaux barrels. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant, it has good acidity, classic peach, spice, and obvious minerality, and a great finish. A terrific Condrieu ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years, it’s also a great introduction to the style of this estate.”