Life is too short to drink bad wine

In the steep hills north in  the Rhone valley there is a small appelation which is called Condrieu. Here the rare grape of Viognier is grown. A grape not well known to many people but which gives a fantastic wine when grown here. It is a full bodied white with a very pronounced and overwhelming smell of flower, peach, apricot, tropical fruit etc. The taste is dominated by ripe fruit, medium acidity and a long finish. Very good to outstanding quality. This is not a white for the fainthearted as the style is rather opulent. But with 2 year old Comte it is the perfect match. Cuilleron (manager) has many different styles. The wine is pricy and rare to get hold of. Condrieu 2014 "La Petite Cote" Yves Cuilleron ca 30€ or 400 nok

Looking for a special white wine? A white that is full bodied with lots of fruit and flavours? In Condrieu, which is a small area north in the Rhone valley, they produce delicious and rare white wines based on the grape called Viognier. The result is highly aromatic wines like this one from Andre Perret. Peach, melon, apricot and white flowers on the nose. Super delicious smell that can be a bit overwhelming for some people. The full bodied taste can remind one of Chardonnay but the fruit and lower acidity suggest otherwise. Even though the wine is dry it can appear to be sweet due to the fruitiness and dramatic aroma picture. The wine goes well with fish, spicy and Asian food. The production is limited and prices are high. If you buy a bottle then use a big wine glass as well to sense all the flavours!

Vernay is one of the main producers of Condrieu in Rhone. The Viognier grape used in Condrieu gives remarkable aromatic wines that many can find a bit too much. The style really depends on the producers and this one is elegant, big but also very oppulent in style. It is however a perfect match with Thai and Asian food and this 2011 was drunk with pork in caramel sauce which turned out to be a perfect combination. Here are some tasting notes from the BBR web site: These 80-year-old vines perch dangerously near the top of the commune of Vernon and sit right at the top of the Condrieu hierarchy. The wine flirts with perfection; it is antithetical to the deeply coloured and overly viscous Condrieus that one sometimes finds. This is the ‘real deal’; it is a wine of great, almost saline, depth and adamantine clarity. The fruits of the labours of the eponymous Pape de Condrieu , now in the able hands of his daughter Christine and son-in-law Paul, continue to raise the bar fo...

This is super elegant Condrieu by Ogier. The Viognier grape (100%) can be a bit too much some times when mixed heavily with oak, but this one is just perfect. The nose is a bit white Burgundy like but with tones of more tropical fruit than lime or sitrus. Discrete and delicious. The taste is like a fullbodied white, packed with fruit and flavours like white peach and more tropical flavours. Lovely balance and great acidity. This is perfect with asian food or seafood. Condrieu 2010 Ogier Ca 35€

This is a rare and special Condrieu by a producer called Gangloff. Yves Gangloff who, despite the slightly rock-and-roll look, maybe a little too well-established to be described as an ‘ enfant terrible ’, continues to astonish even his fellow winemakers with the concentration and quality of his wines. His popularity is legendary in France, which means that not very much of the already diminutive production is available for the export market.  With a very limited production  and high demand, the prices are high, but so is the quality. Extremely dense and oppulent Condrieu that goes well with most Asian food. Fantastic smell of tropical fruit, apricot and pear.  "Yves’ Condrieu displays its customary brilliance, with ripe but finely textured fruit, a comely Rubenesque shape, and a pleasingly tailored finish." Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer Condrieu 2009 by Gangloff High price

Condrieu is a special aromatic white wine from Rhone and some may not like it as the oak can be too dominant sometimes. Medium yellow color and very attractive nose of peach, apricot and flowers. Fullbodied dry taste with long finish and a nice minerality. A very good wine by Villard that has different plots of Condrieu as well as St.Joseph. Try with asian or spicy food. Condrieu 2009  Le Grand Vallon Francois Villard Ca 30€

Condrieu wines cost anything between 24-50€ depending on the producer and plot. This one, bought at Carrefour, is in the lower price range but gives value for money. The colour is medium lemon green with a pronounced nose of tropical fruit and lots of elderflowers. Big body for a white wine, almost nectar like. But that's Condrieu for you. Bring out your oldest Comte cheese and you will have a ball! Condrieu 2011 Domaine Verrier Ca 24€

Condrieu and Comte cheese is a definite match, but one hot weekend down at the cabin we tried Condrieu and strawberries and that was in fact not stupid at all! The viognier grape gives a very succulunt and floral white wine that is rich, big bodied and dry with lots of fruit. The fruit matches the ripe strawberries. Condrieu 2009 Stephane Montez Ca 25€ which is reasonable for this type of wine

I just love Condrieu! This is one of the true great white wines on planet earth. It is a full bodied white with a fantastic succulent aroma and a big oily taste. The Viognier grape in the Upper part of Rhone has no match anywhere else, but due to the steep hills, hand harvest and low yields it does not come cheap. Perfect with hard cheese like Comte, seafood or spicy food like Thai or Chinese. Condrieu 2010 by Montez Ca 30€ and truly great

This 2007 wine is a co-operation between four producers. Taburnum is the latin word to describe a terrace of ancient Roman vineyard upstream of Condrieu. The grape is Viognier and the wine has the same qualities as a Condrieu. Peach, honeysuckle, lemongrass and apricot. Truly lovely stuff. Full-bodied dry white with a lovely fruit and acidity. This wine goes with most cheese. Taburnum 2007, Terres de Viennæ, Rhone. Ca 33£ Florence + The Machine "Shake It Out"

Not the cheapest of Condrieu, but still a very good one! Quite a yellow color with hints of green. The bouquet is wonderful filled with peach, white flowers and apricot. Very fruity taste, difficult to understand that this is a dry white wine! Elegant long taste  with a nice minerality. Try with white fish and cheese. Condrieu "Invitare" by Chapoutier, Ca 40€ Just Delicious !

Yet another Condrieu from the granite slopes in the upper Rhone valley. This time the producer is Domaine Stephane, recommended by a wine shop in Neuilly, Paris. Golden color reflecting the oak, with lots of elderberries on the nose. Delicate "fat" fruity taste with perfect balance. A bit pricy but hey expensive Condrieu is also interesting to taste! Condrieu 2008, Domaine Stephane "La Roncharde" Big and expensive , 60€

This is a top top Condrieu.  Rich beyond the wildest dreams and a ripe and fine textured fruit.  This is a full bodied dry white with wonderful tailored finish. Not to talk about an amazing 15% alcohol .. Condrieu 2008 by Gangloff Amazing stuff and price (60£).

Condrieu! Condrieu! Is there a more delicious and sumptuous white wine? Pale golden colour with an elegant smell of peach, honeysuckle, lychee and whatever else exotic fruits your can imagine. The taste is just perfect with the big fat Condrieu taste but enough acidity and minerals to just die for another sip and another sip. And whoops, the bottle is empty.. Oh my God is it Friday soon? Condrieu 2009 by Ogier "Les Combe de Malleval",  33£ at BBR London

Visited Chapoutier last autumn and added up with a few bottles of his Condrieu. Condrieu is made from the grape Viognier and has a fantastic smell. The best ones are made by the small producers in Rhone, but this version by the big house of Chapoutier is "pas mal". Pale yellow colour with hints of green. Gorgeous smell of pear, abricot and white flowers. This is a fullbodied white with lovely balance and acidity and also some minerality. Condrieu "Invitare" 2009 Chapoutier 38€ Pas mal!!! and not cheap, but worth it

Had this wine at restaurant Glou in Paris the other day. Condrieu wines are like pure nectar in the glass. It's a full-bodied dry white which is powerful, elegant and exceptionally perfumed. This one had it all as well. Packed with yellow fruits on the nose and an incredible fruity big taste. Perfect with white fish but also 2 year old Comte which I had after the dinner.... Stunning combination! Condrieu "Chery" 2009 by Andre Perret Yet another favorite..around 25€ per bottle.

Another very decent Condrieu. This time by Delas. A bit "heavier" than the one by Montez but still more delicate than the Guigal/Chapoutier versions. More peach and abricots on the nose. Perfectly well balanced taste but without the enormous lenght as experienced in the Montez version. A lovely Condrieu, but with comments coloured by my preference for Montez. Condrieu 2008, Delas Jumping (ski) after Wirkola is never easy...

Had this Condrieu in a restaurant  (Les Vieux Murs)  in Antibes the other day. Let it be said at once; this is a very good Condrieu. More delicate than the standard cuvees by Guigal and Chapoutier (which both are good Condrieus). Discrete smell of abricots and minerals on the nose. The taste was absolutely perfect, packed with lovely fruit and a very very long aftertaste full of minerals. Just Wonderful ! Goes with all sorts of white fish or seafood. Condrieu 2010, by Montez Stunning stuff! Restaurant les Vieux Murs : Gastronomic reference located on the ramparts of old Antibes.

Classical Condrieu (100% Viognier) packed with lots of "golden" flavours! Peach, flowers, anis and hint of wood on the nose. Great "heavy" white with medium acidity and a "creamy" finish. Great length and warm undertones as well. Lovely stuff, but needs to be served cold.... Condrieu 2009, Guigal, Price 30€, magical stuff especially with 24 months old Comte.....

Condrieu does not come cheap. The Viognier grape grown in on  the steep hills in the northern part of Rhone are difficult to harvest and do not come in big quantities. We got this bottle as a gift and had all the ingredients of a lovely Condrieu. Succulent peach and apricot and a fullbodied "fat" structured dry taste. Lovely stuff for special occasions. Condrieu 2007 - Cave Saint Desirat, lovely reasonable Condrieu, around 26€.