Condrieu

It's Condrieu that recruited the famous bargemen who, from father to son, sailed between "Kingdom and Empire". Later, the coopers who made the barrels used in Côte-du-Rhône settled in Condrieu. In the 15th century Condrieu wine was the wine of choice for festive occasions and noble personalities. Today, the confidential mellow wines reveal treasures of subtlety and aroma. Condrieu became a local AOC in 1940. The Condrieu appellation covers 7 communes, all on the right bank of the Rhône and straddling 3 départements: Rhône, Loire and Ardèche. The terroir covers steep granite slopes overlooking the river, making mechanization impossible. The climate is moderate continental, dry and hot in summer, with regular rainfall in other seasons. LCondrieu appellation has published a complete map of its vineyards, including the boundaries of the area and all the lieux-dits that make up the richness of this Côtes-du-Rhône cru. Within this terroir, M. Chapoutier, the Guigal house and the Georges Vernay and Delas Frères estates are to be singled out for the quality of their products. The area harvested is around 125 hectares, producing 4,400 hectolitres of wine annually, exclusively in white. The grape variety used is Viognier only. Vinification of Condrieu wines begins with light crushing and pressing, followed by ageing in oak barrels or vats before bottling in the famous yellow glass "Condrieu flute", now gradually being replaced by the classic bottle.