Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Terrasses de l’Empire 2021

Domaine Georges Vernay was founded in 1953 by Georges Vernay, credited as the man who saved the Condrieu appellation, and is now run by the third generation from a nineteenth century building in the northern Rhône. Les Terrasses de l'Empire comes from Condrieu, where Viognier grows on steep terraces of decomposed granite known locally as arzelle. That granite is central to the wine: it is poor and free draining, forcing the vines to work and concentrating the grape's rich stone fruit and heady perfume, while the steep, sun facing terraces ripen the fruit fully. Viognier must be picked ripe to develop its aromatics, which gives a full bodied white at 13.5 per cent. The wine is barrel aged, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood adds a light vanilla note and rounds the texture without masking the aromatics. The farming is organic. The colour is bright gold. The nose is powerful and floral, with apricot, white peach, honeysuckle and rose over ginger and honey. The palate is full and rounded, the acidity gentle, the finish long and perfumed. Serve at 11 to 12 degrees in a large glass.