The seductive perfume of honeysuckle on a mild June evening surely signals summer’s arrival. Rediscovering the pleasure of those delicate yellow and white blossoms never grows old. The scent holds out the promise of long, languorous nights ahead before the return of Autumn’s chill. Bringing home a few branches enhances the moment.
To continue the pleasure, enjoy a glass or two of well-chilled white wines made from Viognier grapes. Well-made Viognier (pronounced Vee-yoh-N’YAY) wines offer diverse aromas including scents strikingly similar to honeysuckle. To discover a perfect example, go with a bottle from the Condrieu appellation, Viognier’s spiritual home in France’s northern Rhône Valley.
CONDRIEU
Just south of the cities of Lyon and Vienne, the town of Condrieu sits on the Rhône River’s right bank. Steep granite slopes rise up behind the village, and it’s on these sunny, southeast facing hillsides where Viognier vines yield their best fruit. Winegrowers must maintain stone terraces to support the vineyards on the sheer, rocky slopes.
Consequently, growers conduct all work at Condrieu’s best sites by hand. After World War II, Viognier vines almost disappeared completely when labor was in short supply. But farsighted producers such as négociant Marcel Guigal and the late Georges Vernay (a.k.a, the “Pope of Condrieu”) persevered.
They continued making traditional, highly perfumed wines. Classical Condrieu offers a burnished golden color with ripe fruit aromas, terrific freshness, well-integrated oak traits and a dry finish. Guigal and Vernay sold most of their bottles to local chefs at restaurants such as La Pyramide in Vienne and Le Beau Rivage in Condrieu. The wines paired perfectly with fresh water fish, poultry with sauces and local cheeses.
As global wine consumption expanded generally in the late 20th century, tourists visited the restaurants and rediscovered Condrieu’s exquisite wines. With a wider international audience falling under Condrieu’s charms, Viognier plantings expanded significantly. Growers slowly reclaimed old hillside vineyards.
Regrettably growers also began increasing the percentage of new oak barrels used in aging Condrieu wines in an effort to appeal to then prevailing tastes. Often the woody traits overpowered the Viognier’s delicate aromas and flavors. But in the last decade or so, a return to the classic style has arisen.
BACK TO THE FUTURE IN CONDRIEU: FRANÇOIS VILLARD
Consider François Villard. A native of the northern Rhône region, he began his career as a chef. Then the winegrowing bug bite hard. Today, according to his U.S. importer at David Bowler Wines, Villard farms a whopping 64 hectares (158 acres) of which he owns 40 hectares (99 acres). In lieu of using herbicides, he works the soils manually and adds only organic fertilizers to the vines. He also uses organic compounds to treat mildew and other vine diseases.
His wines range from Côte-Rôtie in the north to Cornas and Saint Peray down river And he makes a little of everything in between including Condrieu. His first Condrieu in 1991 offered an opulent style heavy with new oak influences. Overtime, he adopted a more restrained style while still maintaining superb ripeness.
For example, try his delicious 2017 François Villard, Condrieu “Les Terrasses du Palat” (average national retail price on wine-searcher.com: $60 average; available in Pennsylvania as PLCB code 81014; $49.99). He uses 100% Viognier grapes grown on granite and quartz hillsides in Chavanay and Vérin, two village within the Condrieu appellation. Fermentation occurred with native yeasts. Villard used a combination of 25% new oak and 75% older oak barrels to age the wine.
The wine’s light golden color unfolds white peach, citrus, pineapple and honeysuckle aromas. In the glass, rich, full-bodied peach, tangerine and honey flavors follow with hints of bittersweet quince. Dazzling, fresh acidity carries through an elegant, dry finish that lingers on and on. Just a lovely, rich wine perfect for enjoyment and sharing on a lazy summer evening with friends.
Do you have either a favorite Condrieu wine or another favorite Viognier producer? Share your thoughts in the comments below and cheers!