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Kevin's comments: Made from 60 year old wines with very limited yields, this is the pinnacle of Vernay's Viognier - delicate yet powerful with balanced oak flavours, great length and very elegant. |
DOMAINE GEORGES VERNAY, NORTHERN RHONE
Georges Vernay is known as the King of Condrieu and was responsible for the growth and worldwide recognition of this small appellation during the 1950s.
His estate covers 16 hectares of vineyards, 3 of which are in the Côte Rotie appellation. The steep and uneven vineyards make mechanical labour impossible. The vines are manually propagated without the use of residual herbicide or insecticide.
George's youngest son Luc ran the winery after his father went into semi-retirement, but recently left to set up a flying school, while the oldest son is rehabilitating racehorses in Texas. George's daughter, Christine, returned to her roots with Paul Anselem, her Parisian husband, and has looked after the winemaking since 1997.
CONDRIEU COTEAU DE VERNON
Grapes: 100% Estate grown Viognier. The vineyards cover 2 hectares of terraced vineyards with a south east facing planted at an altitude of 200M where the soil is of decomposed granite, locally known as Gorre.
Age of 60 years old Planting Density: 8,000 to 10,000 vines per hectare
Vines:
Yield: 18 HL per Hectare Annual Production: 4,000 to 5,000 bottles
Pruning: Guyot Root Stock: 110 Richter
Harvest: By hand as the very steep vineyards make mechanical harvesting impossible.
No herbicide or insecticide are used.
Fermentation: The grapes are de-stemmed and softly pressed with a brief maturation on skins. The must is static decanted and fermented in 225L casks lasting for 4-5 weeks. The wine is matured in cask (20% in new wood) on its fine lees for 12 to 18 months
Taste: The wine is delicate yet powerful with an elegant structure and a lingering finish. A great wine that will age for up to 10 years from vintage
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