February 19, 2024 - Deep golden-amber, viscous with aromas of candied citrus, acacia, baked peach, honey, slightest of sherry and nuts tones. Dry, medium acidity with an palate of baked peach, caramel notes, citrus, sweet spices (cinnamon, allspice) and white pepper. Warm long layered finish.
This Condrieu aged extremely well and morphed into an unctuous deliciousness.
July 7, 2021 - Garagiste selection. 15% ABV
Color: gorgeous honey/gold color. Viscous legs
Nose: Complex, rich aromas of honey; herbs and flowers; vanilla and other warm spices. Initially thought maybe a bit of maderization because of sherry aroma. But not the case
Body/flavor: Full body. Complex flavors of honey, dried herbs and flowers. Vanilla, ginger, and a touch of pepper. Very well balanced. Has time!
Aftertaste: lingering finish.
Was totally blown away... thank you Jon Rimmerman!
December 6, 2020 - Awesome
November 26, 2020 - Last of my stash of this wine, which has been reserved for Thanksgiving dinners over the years. The richness and depth is a perfect match for a rich, hearty turkey day dinner. This shows a bit of color, but not much more than it ever had by my recollection. The nose leads you to believe there might be something a little sweet in store, with its savory almost quince like notes, leading to a rich, intense palate, some viscosity and density, hint of spice, mineral, steel, the wine equivalent of a savory, rich gravy, and the perfect accompaniment to same. There may be some residual sugar here, but the minerality, savory, and acidity more than covers it. I don’t know of another example like this, perhaps some of Andre Perret’s top Condrieu. Aging slowly and beautifully, I’m sad not to have more of these to open in future years.
March 25, 2020 - Absolutely stunning, so powerful and balanced! A fresh fire going down your throat, multiple layers of flavor and complexity. Incredible wine
September 1, 2016 - A masterpiece. Absolutely superb Viognier, he combines expression, body, juicyness with complexity, clean flavors and hedonistic lushness. An example of this can be also a Rubens figure beautiful, expressive, playful and elegant. This wine belies all, who say that Condrieu in the first two of there years must be drunk. Now this wine is in best shape. Absolutely hedonistic and long.
December 14, 2015 - Call me a simpleton, but I like this unbridled, rock&roll sort of Condrieu, flamboyant and unashamed, it is very rich indeed, notes here are orange peel, hobey and exotic fruit, layer upon layer, it needs some cheese to go with it, really, but the acidity is here and in spite of it's richness in everything it is a balanced wine and it keeps its European manners ... it is not over the top.
November 12, 2015 - Deep yellow. Savory aromas. Plush texture, without the bitter edge of many other versions.
November 11, 2014 - Impression only, not enough experience with Condrieu to give it reference, but really liked this and [generally] do not like domestic US viogniers. On the nose from the pop, malt and some caramel, almost comes across like a rich Belgian ale. On the palate, rich and round, yet not cloying or oily, with a backbone of granite or almost a gin-like finish that balances out the rich.
April 5, 2014 - Texture like velvet, soft and plush. Very distinctive aromas and flavors. Lacks the boldness of the good (some very good) California interpretations, but to me that's the charm of this bottle. I do feel as if the wine is the message and not the winemaker. Will be interesting to see where this is a few more years.