2014 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane

The 2014 Condrieu la Doriane is a sensational white that marries the inherent richness and exotic quality of the Viognier grape with the purity, elegance and grace imparted by this cooler vintage. Giving up terrific notes of white peach, marmalade, flowers, spice and tangerines, it has full-bodied richness, awesome purity and integrated acidity. Deep, rich, lengthy and profound, it’s up there with some of the greatest Condrieu ever made.

Light, bright yellow-gold. Broad, mineral-tinged orchard and pit fruit aromas show excellent clarity, and a sexy floral element emerges slowly. Sappy, palate-coating pear nectar and tangerine flavors are complicated by notes of violet, honey and candied ginger, while a minerally element adds vibrant lift. Becomes spicier on the finish, which hangs on with superb tenacity and a lingering floral quality.

July bottled and released. Based on their holdings of 1 ha Côte Châtillon, 1 ha Colombier, 1 ha Volan, 1 ha Coteau de Chéry, 1 ha Vernon – pas mal ! Terroirs that accept new oak. Style change towards something tighter. Same new oak as ever (started in 1994). They are picking a little earlier now that they know the grapes will always ripen fully. He travelled through nine centres in Australia with Louisa Rose, Yalumba’s Viognier queen, last year. Very opulent. Round and subtle. Smoky underneath. An attractive slightly bitter/quinine finish that could even be a little more pronounced. According to Philippe, some of the terroirs give such concentration of Viognier flavour that it gives ‘amer noble’. Lots to chew on. (JR)