2015 Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire
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Tasting notes
(all wooden foudres , none of them new) Light bright yellow. Incisive aromas of fresh nectarine, orange zest and white flowers, along with a chalky mineral overtone. Sappy citrus and orchard fruit flavors show excellent clarity and become deeper with air, picking up a touch of anise and showing powerful back-end lift. The mineral quality repeats strongly on the impressively long, sharply focused finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Always the first to be bottled, the 2015 Condrieu les Terrasses de L'Empire is the largest production Condrieu and it spends eight months in barrel. It’s a bigger, richer wine than the Pied du Samson, yet is still fresh and lively, with perfumed notes of crisp white peach, white flowers, mint and a touch of honeyed minerality. Clean and focused on the palate, with integrated acidity and a great finish, it should be drunk over the coming 4-5 years.
Tastes very much like a spring release with spring flowers on the nose and marked acidity, but there is a good savoury undertow. This was (just) cheaper than Guigal's regular Condrieu on the list at the Beau Rivage, Condrieu's most famous hotel. Good persistence even if without truly haunting aromas at this point. (JR)
Always the first to be bottled, the 2015 Condrieu les Terrasses de L'Empire is the largest production Condrieu and it spends eight months in barrel. It’s a bigger, richer wine than the Pied du Samson, yet is still fresh and lively, with perfumed notes of crisp white peach, white flowers, mint and a touch of honeyed minerality. Clean and focused on the palate, with integrated acidity and a great finish, it should be drunk over the coming 4-5 years. Dec 2016, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
A legendary name, Domaine Georges Vernay crafts some of the finest whites in the world, having championed Condrieu when it was on the brink of extinction. The estate is best known for its single-site Coteau de Vernon Condrieu and is now in the hands of the third and fourth generation of the family.