We are huge fans of Viognier, and consider Condrieu (and Ch. Grillet, the small monopole, of course) to be the unrivaled source for great examples of the varietal. We have also told the story many times about how difficult this grape can be. There is a narrow band of success where all of the components work in harmony. Harvest too early and the wines are lean and lack varietal definition, the aromatics that are an important part of the Viognier experience aren’t there, and neither is the required midpalate. Harvest too late and the acids fall back and the wine is dull and flabby. Harvest at the perfect time and you’ll be dealing with voracious birds and hornets that also have a deep love of this enticing, aromatic varietal.
So if it’s that hard, if the margin of error is so slim, why does anyone bother? Because when it hits the mark Condrieu is a singular experience. Of course for most of us it can be cost prohibitive too, which merely piles on to an already difficult success rate. Yet, with few exceptions, there’s no place like Condrieu. What is a lover of Viognier to do? Our solution has been to pay close attention to the ‘smaller’ efforts from some of the top vignerons in the region. One of our favorite sources over the years has been Yves Cuilleron.
He makes great Condrieus on a consistent basis (no small feat) and excellent examples from other villages in the northern Rhone with Marsanne and Roussane. But what has been a repeat performer in our minds is his Viognier Vin de Pays Collines Rhodannienes Les Vignes d’a Coté 2018. Yeah, tough name for the non-French but we’ll boil the words down so you get a feel. By Vin de Pays, the bottle is telling you that some or all of the juice comes from vines not in official designated appellations. In the upper reaches of the hills in the northern Rhone they give it those ‘outside the boundary’ efforts the catchy name Collines Rhodannienes (there are both white and red versions from various ‘no man’s land’ parcel all about the north).
The Viognier for this cuvée is sourced from vineyards planted in granite-infused soil in the village of Chavanay. The grapes are fermented with their natural yeasts and done in stainless steel to protect the wine’s freshness. It then sees 6 months in a combination of steel and neutral oak barrels to round out. The result is usually pretty engaging, but in 2018 they absolutely nailed it. Perfectly proportioned, this 14% alcohol white sits comfortably atop the right touch of uplifting acidity. Everything is fresh and expressive, with the subtly meshed peach, honeysuckle and mineral nose a perfect invitation to the peach, pear, spice and faintly honeyed palate.
Rich, yet at the same time light on its feet, it achieves just the right balance. This one could probably pass for Condrieu in most circles yet it can be had for a touch over $20, well under the usual $50-80 that most Condrieus, both great and small, command. How does it compare to the domestic versions one sees for this kind of price? It’s not even close. The harmony and expressiveness puts is in a league of its own. If you like Condrieu, buy this. If you like Viognier, buy this. If you want to know what Viognier is supposed to taste like, this will show you. A supremely pleasing effort.
It seems Yves had a fine season in 2018 overall, for the whites anyway. Everything we were presented showed uniformly tender up front, with bright, lifted fruit and freshness. While the Viognier is our go-to, his Collines Rhodannienes (‘outside the lines’) efforts with Marsanne and Roussanne were extremely successful as well.
So often, Roussanne can be kind of clumsy and oxidative. But the Cuilleron Roussanne Vin de Pays Collines Rhodannienes Les Vignes d’a Coté 2018 is none of that. To be honest, it was such a fresh, tender effort, we didn’t necessarily think Roussanne at first. What a pleasing effort this was, a mélange of citrus, pear and stone fruit with a wisp of earth and mineral to speak of its origins.
Their delightful Cuilleron Marsanne Vin de Pays Collines Rhodannienes Les Vignes d’a Coté 2018 presents yellow melon, pear, and yellow apple flavors punctuated with a bit of dusty minerality that plays only as a nuance to the fruit component. It’s rare to find Marsanne with this much personality and lift
If you want to step up to a ‘real’ Condrieu, Cuilleron’s Condrieu La Petite Cote 2018 is an ‘A-game’ performance for a rather modest buy-in for the genre, and demonstrates the expressive floral and honey notes admirably. Saint-Peray is an insiders’ appellation and not widely known but Cuilleron has a deft touch and his Les Potier 2018 is a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne that flashes layered pear fruit with a lot of nuance underneath. A charmer.
White northern Rhones aren’t necessarily the first whites people think of. But this lineup is so expressive it could do a lot to change all of that.