2012 Côte-Rôtie, Blonde du Seigneur, Domaine Georges Vernay

2012 Côte-Rôtie, Blonde du Seigneur, Domaine Georges Vernay

Product: 20128015503
 
2012 Côte-Rôtie, Blonde du Seigneur, Domaine Georges Vernay

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Description

The Blonde de Seigneur Cuvée, as the name implies, is sourced from the southern granitic end of the appellation (Bassenon and Lancement both underline its pedigree) and contains 8% Viognier. Eighteen months in cask (25% new) underlines seriousness of intent, but the elegance which Christine seeks in all of her wines is far from absent. Pit-cherry, spice and licorice on the nose is followed by generous floral palate, with crushed rock and pepper adding character and fine linear tannins buttressing the long finish.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate91/100
Bottled in June of this year, the 2012 Cte Rtie Blonde de Seigneur comes from the lighter soils of the southern part of the appellation and was completely destemmed and vinified all in stainless steel. Incorporating 3-5% Viognier and aged 18 months in 30% new barrels, it exhibits a complex, refined style to go with pretty rose petal, red raspberry and spice-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a forward, feminine style, drink it over the coming decade.
Jeb Dunnuck - 30/12/2014 Read more

About this WINE

Domaine Georges Vernay

Domaine Georges Vernay

Seeking to secure great wines from leading producers is not always an easy task, simply because the volumes are scarce and they are on everyone’s most wanted list. Domaine Georges Vernay is no exception.

Under Georges Vernay’s management, the domaine has contributed so much to keep Condrieu on the map, especially during the 1960s’ when the appellation covered only 8 hectares, that talking of Condrieu and not mentioning Domaine Georges Vernay could be like going to Jerusalem and not visiting the Church of The Holy Sepulchre, in other words a terrible mistake.

Today managed with brio by George’s daughter Christine and her husband Paul Ansellem, the domaine covers 8 Ha in Condrieu, making them one of the top three owners; 2.5 ha in Côte-Rôtie and 1.5 Ha in the Saint-Joseph appellations.

In Condrieu, three cuvees are made from vineyards situated in Condrieu, the heart of the appellation, on south to southeast facing steep slopes, and all express the purest; most restrained expression of  the Viognier grape.

From top to bottom: Côteau de Vernon, created in 1940 by Christine’s grand-father Francis, is the reference amongst all Condrieu: 60 years old vines on decomposed granite locally called “gore”, is a wine of great personality and definition and has on numerous occasion shown a surprising ability to age;

Chaillées de l’Enfer, made from 50 years old vines. Chaillées is the local name for small terraces which are so steep that working here is particularly arduous. This is an early ripening site and yields a wine which has more opulence, richness than the former; Terrasses de l’Empire, made from 40 years old vines is a great introduction to Condrieu, offering early approachability.

Côte-Rôtie is represented by two cuvees: Maison Rouge, a pure Syrah whose name refers to the small red house located at the feet of this impressively steep lieu-dit made of granite-rich soil and Blonde du Seigneur, a Syrah-Viognier blend which combines richness of flavours and a floral aspect. 

The Vins de Pays des Collines Rhodanienne's range represented by Le Pied de Samson (Viognier); Fleurs de Mai and Mirebaudy (Syrah cuvees) is really worth the discovery and constitute an ideal first step in your approach and exploration of this great domaine.

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Côte-Rôtie

Côte-Rôtie

Côte-Rôtie is one of the most famous of the northern Rhône appellations, with some single vineyard cuvées now selling for the same prices as First Growth Bordeaux. It is the northernmost outpost of the Syrah grape.

Côte-Rôtie translates as ‘roasted hillside’, as the south-facing slopes are exposed to the maximum-possible sunlight. Vines have been planted here since Roman times, although the appellation was only created in 1940. Today it covers 500 hectares, with 276 hectares of vineyards stretched across eight kilometres.

Phylloxera devastated vineyards in the late 1800s and Côte-Rôtie’s fortunes remained in the doldrums for another century. After the War, a farmer would receive double the price for a kilo of apricots as for a kilo of grapes, hence vineyards were grubbed up and wine production became increasingly smaller.

It has only really been recognised as a top-quality wine-producing area since the 1970s, with Guigal being the main impetus behind its revival. The two best slopes, Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, rise steeply behind Ampuis and overlook the river. The Côte Brune wines are much firmer and more masculine (the soils are clay and ironstone), whereas the Côte Blonde makes wines with more finesse and elegance due to its light, sandy-limestone soil. Both the Côte Brune and Côte Blonde vineyards rise to 1,000 feet, with a gradient of 30 to 50 degrees.

The wines are made from the Syrah grape, however up to 20 percent of Viogner can be used in the blend, adding finesse, elegance and floral characteristics to the wine. Viognier ripens more quickly than Syrah and the appellation rules stipulate that the grapes must be added to the fermentation – rather than blended later. The best Côte-Rôtie are very deep in colour, tannic and spicy, and need 10 years to evolve and develop.

There are nearly 60 official vineyards (lieux-dits); the best-known are: La Mouline, La Chatillonne (Vidal-Fleury, owned by Guigal) and La Garde (Rostaing) in Côte Blonde; La Viallière, (Rostaing), La Landonne (Guigal, Rostaing) and La Turque (Guigal) in Côte Brune.

Styles vary from heavily-extracted tannic wines which need many years to soften through to lighter, supple and less-structured wines which do not require extended bottle ageing. The most famous wines of Côte-Rôtie are Guigal’s three single-vineyard cuvées: La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne. These are aged in new wood for 48 months, and demand for them amongst connoisseurs and collectors is significant, leading to prices sometimes comparable to Bordeaux First Growths.

Recommended producers: Guigal, Gerrin, Rostaing, Ogier, Burgaud

Best vintages: 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1999, 1991, 1990, 1985

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Northern Rhône blend

Northern Rhône blend

A Northern Rhône blend is a wine made from grapes grown in the northern part of the Rhône Valley in France. This region is known for producing some of the world’s most acclaimed and distinctive wines.

The red blends typically revolve around the Syrah (Shiraz) grape. These wines are known for their deep colour, complex aromas of dark fruits, black pepper, floral notes, and a firm tannic structure. The most famous appellations for these wines include Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas. Côte-Rôtie often incorporates a small percentage of Viognier, adding floral and aromatic elements to the wine.

In the Northern Rhône, Viognier is the primary white grape variety. Viognier-based wines from appellations like Condrieu are highly aromatic, with flavours of stone fruits, floral notes and sometimes a hint of spice. These wines are often full-bodied and have a luxurious texture.

A unique characteristic of some Northern Rhône red wines is the co-fermentation of Syrah and Viognier grapes. This process involves fermenting the two grape varieties, resulting in wines seamlessly integrating Viognier’s aromatic qualities with Syrah’s structure and depth.

Northern Rhône blends are celebrated for their elegance, complexity, and terroir-driven characteristics. They are considered some of the finest examples of varietal wines produced in France and are highly sought after by wine enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

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