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Domaine Georges Vernay

Condrieu

** Producteur de très grande vins [one of only two in Condrieu]
LE CLASSEMENT 2005 Bettane & Desseauve

Our notes:

After Montrachet, Condrieu is France's rarest white wine. It is often wildly exotic with a viscous texture, apricot and white peach aromas and flavours, along with the scent of white flowers. There is sometime a certain chalky note and the finish is often warm. Contrary to the often expressed view that these wines must be drunk within 2-3 years, the Vernay family state that they should be "...tasted over the next 3-10 years" for the Coteau de Vernon and "5-10 years" for Les Chaillées de l'Enfer. The Les Terrasses de l'Empire is for more immediate consumption, but it to will age for several years, depending upon the nature of the vintage.

The wine region gets its name from the French "coin de ruisseau" [which means: the corner of the brook] as it sits on a dramatic curve on the edge of the Rhone, about ten kilometers downstream from Cote Rotie. The terraced vineyards run upwards from the river on very steep granitic slopes. Wine from these hillsides are the reward for some back breaking labor. It was ever thus - it is impossible to mechanise here. As in the Mosel the vines are staked upright along the terraces and are cared for by workers who perform the Sisyphean feat during vintage of carrying the small baskets of precious fruit up and down the crazily steep slopes. The hardship under which Condrieu is made is reflected in the name of one of Vernay's prestige cuvees "les Chailles de l'Enfer" or "The Slopes of Hell". Condrieu virtually owes its survival to the dogged determination of Georges Vernay who from the late 1940s was its most ardent defender. At that time, Condrieu was about to sink into oblivion! Today the Vernay estate includes 7 hectares in Condrieu, plus 3 hectares of Côte Rôtie, 1.5 hectares of Saint Joseph and 5 hectares above the Côte growing Syrah and Viognier. Georges and his wife passed control in 1997 to their daughter Christine and her husband Paul (who runs the business side). The Vernay family do not use chemical herbicides or pesticides. They produce a range of wines including three prestige Condrieu, "Coteau de Vernon","Les Chaillées de l'Enfer" and "Les Terrasses de l'Empire". Georges Vernay's Viogniers are benchmarks in Condrieu. They are wines to add to your "must try before I die" list. The reds too have earned their praise, acknowledged by some as setting a new standard for quality and value in the Cote Rotie and St Joseph appellations. They capture the very essence and sheer drinkability unique to the wines from these soils.

In terms of the style of the various Condrieu cuvees, the "Coteau de Vernon" is Vernay's response to complex Grand Cru white Burgundy and easily his most lush and decadent viognier offering. There's only four acres of this wine available to satisfy the desire of the world's entire fine wine community. Robert Parker has likened Vernay's Coteau de Vernon to Montrachet describing its Burgundy-like richness and depth. Average age of the vineyard is 60 years and each vine is individually hand tended - there is no other option. After pressing the must is cooled and allowed to settle before going into a combination of small and large barrels [of which 20% are new]. There it completes fermentation on fine lees for 12 - 18 months, and is then transferred to stainless steel to freshen up before bottling. Vernay's second old vine cuvee from Condrieu is "Les Chaillees de l'Enfer". The name refers to the steep "slopes of hell", i.e., the slopes of Condrieu. The average vine age for the two hectares is 40 years, with a yield averaging 22 hectolitres per hectare. Production averages 5-6000 bottles. With this cuvée, the wine is again on fine lees in casks, but bottling is one year after harvest. The final prestige Condrieu is "Les Terrasses de L'Empire" comes from 4.5 hectares of terraced plots with vines averaging 25 years and yielding on average 32 hectolitres per hectare. Production is about 20,000 bottles. For this wine, the fermentation takes place in 20hl tuns under temperature control. Part is matured in casks (10% new oak), the rest in stainless steel vats. Bottling is at one year.

There is some good information on the Vernay web site, with a section on what food to match with each wine, along with the recipes (see below).

What others are saying:

"Georges Vernay is the guru of [Condrieu]."
Clive Coates
 
"Montrachet-like richness and intensity."
Robert Parker
 
To visit the Domaine Georges Vernay website, click here.

Domaine Georges Vernay

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Georges Vernay Syrah 2007 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Cote Rotie
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Syrah 2007
Another great bargain, this is 100% Syrah grown in the Northern Rhone, on the western slope above the steep hills of Condrieu. In other words a mini Cote Rotie for a fraction of the cost. An... read more
Product Code: 7356-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 40.00 Single bottle price
$ 36.00 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Syrah Mirbaudie 2008 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Cote Rotie
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Syrah Mirbaudie 2008
Excellent value 100% Syrah from Vernay's trusty red stable. Vibrant, fruity and youthful with a generous concentration of supple, brambly fruit, good cedar and sandalwood aromas, and a ripe,... read more
Product Code: 8169-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 41.00 Single bottle price
$ 36.90 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Syrah Fleur de Mai 2008 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Cote Rotie
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Syrah Fleur de Mai 2008
This is 100% old vine Syrah grown in the Northern Rhone, on the western slopes above the steep hills of Condrieu and, unlike the Mirbaudie, it is barrel aged. In other words a faux Côte Rotie for... read more
Product Code: 8170-750
Only 2 left
Bottle size 750ml
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$ 51.00 Single bottle price
$ 45.90 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Le Pied De Samson Viognier 2010 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Condrieu
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Le Pied De Samson Viognier 2010
This mini Condrieu comes from the climats of La Caille and Mirebaudy, located at 300 metres above the town of Condrieu. It's this altitude that excludes them from the Condrieu AOC. The yields are... read more
Product Code: 9453-750
Only 6 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 61.00 Single bottle price
$ 54.90 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Terrasses De L'Empire Condrieu 2010 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Condrieu
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Terrasses De L'Empire Condrieu 2010
Les Terrasses de L'Empire comes from the Sainte-Agathe vineyard, a 4.5 hectare site of terraced plots with vines averaging 40 years of age. Fermentation was in 20hl foudre under temperature... read more
Product Code: 9451-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 135.00 Single bottle price
$ 121.50 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2009 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Condrieu
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2009
Limited. The Vernon vineyard is the Montrachet of Condrieu and the Vernay's are the sole owner of the front side of this sheer, southeast-facing slope. Unlike Montrachet however, there's only 1.7ha... read more
Product Code: 9057-750
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 258.00 Single bottle price
$ 232.20 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2008 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Condrieu
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2008
The average vine age for the Vernon fruit is 60 years, yielding on average a staggering low 18 hectolitres per hectare. Production averages 300-400 cases per year. Intensely mineral, yet layered... read more
Product Code: 8172-750
Only 13 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 259.00 Single bottle price
$ 233.10 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Maison Rouge 2006 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Cote Rotie
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Cote Rotie Maison Rouge 2006
The Maison Rouge is Vernay's pinnacle red wine and therefore very limited. Today, Vernay is considered in the highest echelon of Cote Rotie producers. This wine clearly justifies that reputation.... read more
Product Code: 7748-750
Only 4 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 287.00 Single bottle price
$ 258.30 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2007 More details Send to friend Review this wine
Region:
Condrieu
Producer:
Domaine Georges Vernay
Georges Vernay Coteau De Vernon Condrieu 2007
One of the great whites of Europe from what is surely the best white Rhone vintage for quite some time. As always it is limited.
"Pale gold. Expansive aromas of apricot, violet, smoked meat... read more
Product Code: 7747-750
Only 4 left
Bottle size 750ml
Buy a straight or mixed dozen get 10% off!
$ 297.00 Single bottle price
$ 267.30 Mixed or straight dozens
Quantity
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