2018 Condrieu, Les Vieilles Vignes de Jacques Vernay, Stéphane Ogier, Rhône
Critics reviews
From a parcel of old vines planted in Malleval on steep granite slopes. Stéphane is considering only releasing this cuvée after ten years' bottle age from this vintage to demonstrate the ageing ability of top Condrieus. It'll be worth waiting for.
This is particularly vibrant and fresh on the nose for the vintage, rounded but not overly full-bodied, with a particularly straight, tense feel about it alongside mouthwatering salinity. It's particularly tightly coiled at this early stage, which bodes well for the future.
A little jasmine and freshly baked white bread on the palate, with good acidity and restraint. Great energy and focus.
Drink 2019 - 2034
Matt Walls, Decanter.com (October 2019)
About this WINE
Domaine Stephane Ogier
The Ogier family had been established growers in Ampuis for over seven generations, but it was only in the 1980s that they began vinifying their own grapes. Stéphane joined the family estate in ’97, working alongside his father Michel, before taking over in 2003.
Heralded as the face of the Northern Rhône’s new generation, Stéphane continues acquiring new parcels and trying new techniques. He brings a Burgundian approach to the region’s terroir from his studies in Beaune. He works with multiple lieux-dits, vinifying each separately and using oak sparingly. This allows the characteristics of each to show. He releases many wines as single lieu-dit bottlings later in the year and others he blends, selecting from different barrels to build a style representative of both his vision and the vintage. Stéphane’s latest investment includes vineyards in Rasteau, Cairanne, and Plan de Dieu in the Southern Rhône, bringing his total land-ownings there up to 50 hectares, all destined for his Côtes-du-Rhône offering.
Condrieu
Until you’ve tasted Viognier grown in Condrieu, you’ve never truly experienced the grape’s majesty. In the same way that winemakers the world over have planted Pinot Noir in the hope of emulating red Burgundy, so too they’ve planted Viognier in the hope of achieving the unique balance of exotic perfume, weight and freshness for which Condrieu is famed. Few succeed. Traditionally, winemakers here have used relatively inert, large wooden vessels vinification and élevage are in relatively inert, large, wooden vessels, but the new generation of winemakers are increasingly interested in the qualities of new oak.
Plantings have expanded beyond the core of the AOC, around the village itself, to 140 hectares from the low of eight hectares in the 1960s. The vineyards pick up where Côte-Rôtie leaves off, the slope continues, but the schist of the north begins to give way to a little more granite and a topsoil of decomposed mica. Today the appellation is characterised by energy and creativity, and demand for the wines from this diminutive region is soaring.
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.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
This limited production cuvée is made with ageing in mind and only in the best vintages. It is released only when Stéphane judges it to be at the beginning of its drinking window at 4-5 years after the harvest. It is rich and succulent, packed full of ripe stone and tropical fruits, underlaid with notes of ginger and honey and orange blossom highlights. There is also a hint of sweet spice and creaminess owing to the 7 months it spends in new but large oak foudres.
It is unctuous and silky but far from overbearing. A bite of fresh citrus fruit and crushed stone minerality brings balance and purity to the mid-palate and the assurance of many fine years of drinking ahead. It is one of only a handful of wines to challenge the concept that Condrieu is best drunk young.
Drink now to 2030+
Georgina Haacke, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2023)
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee