This golden-hued Condrieu opens with essences of wildflowers and roses with notes of apricot and exotic fruit. It is soft on entry to the palate where it reveals a smooth structure that explodes on the finish. Notes of apricot and white peach are followed by nutmeg and vanilla. This wine is well-balanced, very elegant and very long on the palate.

Appearance – Bright pale golden yellow hue.

Nose – Very complex and intense. In its early youth, the nose is fresh with apricot, peach, sweet almond and vanilla aromas. After one or two years of cellar-ageing, dried apricot and honeysuckle aromas dominate the nose, which then goes on to develop aromas of acacia honey, vanilla and quince jelly with notes of wax and lovely ripe peaches and a floral touch of honeysuckle.

Palate – When young, the wine is already soft and fat with hints of lime, apricot and wild peach. With age, the palate becomes rounder and more elegant and acquires very good length. It reveals fat and complex aromas of dried apricots, ripe yellow fruit, acacia honey, vanilla and lime peel.

LOCATION

Condrieu is located on the right bank of the river Rhône, about 11 km south of Vienne and 44 km south of Lyon, at the foot of the last slopes of Mont Monnet.

TERROIR

“Versant Doré”, a tribute to the steep and sunny terroir. The grapes come from two plots of vines covering a total of 1.5 hectares, 1 hectare of which is planted on terraces sitting on very steep slopes. The vines are perfectly south and southeast-facing on one of the AOC’s finest hillsides known as “La Roche Coulante”. Our wine is the result of a collaboration between our oenologist and two domaines near Chavanay.

VINIFICATION & AGEING

Harvesting is carried out by hand and the small yield of grapes is transported to the winery in small crates. The harvested grapes are given 12 hours of cold settling after a gentle pressing in a pneumatic press. Alcoholic fermentation lasts 20 days and is followed by malolactic fermentation. 35% of the wine is then aged in French oak barrels (new and previously used) for 9 months with the other 65% remaining in stainless steel vats. Bottling takes place in the June following the harvest.

SERVING

Serve at 12°C.

FOOD PAIRINGS

When young, this wine is perfect with fine shellfish (crab), white fish in a sauce, grilled white meat and fresh goat’s cheeses. With age, it pairs wonderfully well with a Bavarois of lobster, veal or cod stew, Andouillette from Troyes, a sauté of prawns and scallops, or hard cheeses.

Name: Versant Doré

Brand: Brotte – Les Crus
Classification: AOC Condrieu
Type: White
Region: Northern Rhône Valley (France)
Grape Varieties: 100% Viognier