2019 Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire
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Tasting notes
Marked by a delicate balance of light, pleasant florals, ripe pineapple and apricot, the 2019 Condrieu les Terrasses de l'Empire avoids any sense of heaviness. It's medium to full-bodied, silky textured and fine, with luscious nuances of gingery-peppery spice on the lingering finish. Grown on the upper slopes above Condrieu in the lieux-dits of La Caille and Sainte-Agathe, the soils are biotite granite, with fermentation and aging in oak vats and barrels, without any new wood.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
35-year-old vines from various different steep parcels. Aged in large old oak vats and barrels for eight months. Bottled 7 July 2020. Youthful, embryonic Condrieu aromas here demonstrate that G Vernay’s wines need time. Floral notes dominate the palate at the moment and there’s still some youthful grip, with just a hint of the savoury character that I would expect to emerge next year. Perceptibly lighter weight than the Coteau de Vernon 2018. (JR)
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.