2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher
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Tasting notes
Pale green-hued yellow. Penetrating, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh citrus and pit fruits are complemented by chalky minerals, violet and fennel accents. Juicy, focused and concentrated, offering intense pear nectar, Meyer lemon and honeysuckle flavors that show outstanding clarity and minerally lift. The mineral and floral notes carry emphatically through a silky, appealingly sweet finish that hangs on with superb focus and tenacity.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
A step up, the bigger, richer 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher is blockbuster stuff, offering serious notes of crushed rock, buttered citrus, orange blossom, and a smoky, meaty, mineral character that’s hard to describe. Possessing full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate concentration and a seamless texture, this beauty will be even better this time next year and keep for 4-6 years. Delas Frères is located just outside of Saint-Jean-de-Muzols and has plenty of prime parcels spread throughout the entire northern Rhône Valley. The 2015s are the finest wines I’ve tasted from this estate since the 2010s, and if anything, the wines appear to be slightly more balanced and polished, with less obvious oak. The 2016s are less showy, yet have very classic, balanced profiles, and this is unquestionably another good vintage for this estate, which appears to be firing on all cylinders.
Fermented and aged entirely in new oak, the 2016 Condrieu Clos Boucher nevertheless exudes the essence of Viognier with its spicy-floral aromas and flavors. Ginger, white pepper and nasturtium blossom all feature in this medium to full-bodied wine, plus layers of ripe apricots and candied pineapple emerging in support. Drink this over the next 5 years.
Buttery, generous and fulsome on the palate, with the same refreshing structure as their Galopine. Warm finish, well-delineated stone-fruit flavours. (RH)