Domaine Georges Vernay - Côte-Rôtie Maison Rouge 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Emma Amsellem has joined her mother Christine Vernay to develop the rugged hillsides of Condrieu and Côte Rôtie, lands drenched in sunshine when frost doesn't interfere, as in 2021, a vintage Emma is not about to forget since she had just returned to the domaine. Beyond the vagaries of the weather, the year was a great success for the whites, with saline expressions well in place. A vintage in which we find all the splendor of the Vernon hillside.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Produced from old Syrah vines in the Maison Rouge vineyard, this wine displays great intensity of flavour. The wood is still a little on the edges, but the fruit is bright and the finish juicy.

About the domain :

Christine Vernay, who brilliantly took over the reins of this emblematic Condrieu estate in 1996, is slowly handing over to her daughter, Emma Amsellem. While the estate is intimately linked to the history of the Condrieu appellation, of which it is still the most brilliant representative, it also offers a remarkable selection of reds whose maturation has been refined in recent years. Tasting a decade-old Condrieu cuvée here reveals the potential of this terroir, too often overwhelmed by the varietal notes of Viognier. The energy and potential contained in the estate's wines set a benchmark.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This Côte-Rôtie is immaculate, elegant and almost untouched. So much purity and precision. The nose reveals notes of wild berries, wild herbs, dried meat and warm spices. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and lively acidity. On the palate, there's plenty of wild strawberries and violets. Made from 100% old vines planted before 1950, it delivers all its black cherry essence and purity of fruit with a floral perfume, bringing elegance and freshness. Mineral and well-mannered, with a concentrated, long, lively finish. For drinking or cellaring.