This is an utterly beautiful white wine that is very much in the style of the most famous Rhone white that there is. Made from Viognier, the wine has a fleshy, yellow and stone-fruit flavour profile with naturally lower levels of acitidy, while remaining fresh enough and balanced. Exquisite with crustaceans or as a decadent aperitif.
It is very special and in very short supply!
This champion wine-maker of the Rhone produces some of the most exclusive wines in the region. Cuilleron knows exactly what each plot is able to yield in terms of quality, style and character and in that regard is a master of all of the vines he tends. This wine is made from the best selection of vines on the hills next to the most famed sites in the Rhone, and they are a selection found only on shallow, granitic soils in the Chavanay sub-zone. This base provides a superb platform for the grapes to ripen with minimal intervention from the vineyard team, who, in truth, only fertilise when necessary with organic fertilisers and don't even spray with insecticides. The result is this single-plot cuvée, wonderfully complex, rich and pure varietal expression that is matured in large oak vats for seven months on its fine lees. It is treated as though it was Condrieu, and in many ways is just as expressive. A very special wine.
Yes, just a note; this is now the 2023 vintage, which you might think is very youthful (to say the least). Well, it is; but these days that doesn't have such negative connotations as it used to and especially not for white wine. I'd always ask myself if it is ready for drinking; in other words, is there any aspect of the wine that isn't quite right, or that will be ironed-out, or better in a year or so. The answer here, because of the skill of the winemaker, is no! It's perfectly ready to drink and there is nothing I'd want change now. It will develop and change subtly in time, but it won't get any better, nor any worse.
2023 presented a number of climate-related challenges in Europe, the Rhône included. A very dry winter, heavy spring rains and a colossal heat-wave in the summer.These factors meant that winemakers had to adapt and react constantly in order to protect the vines and grapes. However, they're not attending their prèmiere rodeo, and the quality of grapes was outstanding, largely helped by a dry and warm (if very quick) harvest. Those growers such as Cuilleron with vines in higher altitude sites were blessed by a large diurnal range, keeping colour and acidity, sugars and size all in balance in each of the bunches of grapes. It was at times a wild vintage, but there is good volume of wine and the quality is very fine indeed.
Philippe Pellaton, President of Inter Rhône, notes: “Weather conditions were more chaotic in the North than in the South of the Rhône Valley, leading to a shorter harvest. That being said, both quality and quantity are there, throughout the region. The 2023 vintage for the wines of AOC Côtes du Rhône and the Rhône Valley Vineyards appears to be a great vintage for blending: full, dense, balanced and with lovely acidity levels.”
If you want to drink Condrieu, but haven't quite the stomach for the prices, then get your chops around this!
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Grape(s): Viognier
Style: Svelte, Structured, Pure, Organic, Medium Full, Fresh, Fleshy, Dark, Complex
Best food matches: Venison, Tuna, Tapas, Steak, Roasts, Red Meats, Poultry, Mature Cheeses, Hard Cheeses, Grills, Fine Dining, Cheeses, Charcuterie, Beef, Barbecue
Alcohol: 12.5%
