Refreshing Whites

wines

A step up over the 2018, the 2017 Condrieu Les Cassines has textbook aromas and flavors of honeyed citrus, tangerine oil, crushed rocks, and spice. Rich, beautifully textured, and balanced, it’s rocking Condrieu that I suspect will continue to drink beautifully for 3-4 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

Pale, shimmering yellow. Fresh pear, honeydew, tangerine and pungent flowers on the mineral-inflected nose. Offers lively, sharply focused orchard and citrus fruit flavors that are complemented by emerging ginger and white pepper notes adding back-end lift and cut. Silky and impressively lithe, delivering solid mineral thrust and repeating florality on the long, incisive finish.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Light, bright yellow. Heady, mineral- and spice-accented aromas of ripe citrus and pit fruits and pungent flowers are complemented by a suave, building floral element. Silky and penetrating, offering intense white peach, tangerine and pear flavors that fan out through the mid-palate. Shows impressive energy and spicy cut on a long, smooth finish that echoes the floral note emphatically.Vinous Media | 94 VMSpicy gingerbread tones and bright, luminous white peach and tangerine extend from nose to finish in this glossy, concentrated Condrieu. True to form, it’s a classically zaftig sip packed densely with honeyed tropical fruit flavors and silken skeins of cream. Stunning in youth but structured enough to age beautifully through 2035 and likely further.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Condrieu Chery from Niero is a solid effort that leans toward the more fresh, racy side of the spectrum while still holding onto plenty of fruit. Spiced citrus, honeyed limes, spice, and a touch of sappy floral notes all flow to a medium-bodied, mineral-laced Condrieu that stays tight and compact on the palate. It’s going to benefit from a year in bottle and keep for 2-3 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

A fresh version, with bright yellow plum, green almond and white peach flavors backed by notes of lemon shortbread and quinine on the plump finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2026. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPretty apple blossom, spice, and sappy flower notes dominate the bouquet of the 2019 Saint Joseph Blanc. This carries to a more medium-bodied, elegant white that offers a solid sense of minerality, good mid-palate depth and concentration, notable balance, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful Saint Joseph white to drink over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA bit more mineral than the Crozes-Hermitage, the Marsanne-dominant 2019 Saint-Joseph Blanc comes exclusively from the southern portion of the appellation, around Sarras and Tournon. Scents of crushed stone and pencil shavings (half was matured in tank, one-fourth in new oak and one-fourth in second-fill oak) accent notes of underripe peach and citrus on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is crisp, linear and long on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

A blend of equal parts Marsanne and Roussanne, the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche Blanc has a rounded, medium-bodied, nicely textured style that carries plenty of pear, citrus blossom, and sappy herbs notes as well as a touch of salty minerality. A fleshy, undeniably delicious, balanced white, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years, if not longer. It would be a great introduction to the white wines of this appellation.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAlready bottled, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche (Domaine) harkens back toward the quality of the superb 2017, with gentle nutty complexities interwoven with crushed stone, spice, melon and pear. Medium to full-bodied, this 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Les Chassis displays beautiful harmony and roundness while remaining long and crisp on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Lovely peach, pear and yellow plum notes form the core, with well-inlaid acidity for support and light verbena and shortbread accents gilding the lush finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made, 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBeautifully pure quince, ripe peach, and caramelized citrus notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, which shows a more medium-bodied, clean, vibrant style. It doesn’t have the richness of the Saint-Joseph releases, yet I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance. It’s going to gain depth with a year of bottle age and keep for 7-8 years, probably longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDSvelte in structure yet pulsating with rich black plum and cassis, this full-bodied Syrah calibrates pure, ripe fruit against complexities of granite, fur and black olive. Matured ten months in oak, it’s a velveteen, concentrated sip but brisk and bright too, finishing on fine-grained, upright tannins. Approachable young, the wine will likely drink beautifully through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery good - this is a fairly rich style of white Crozes, the oak is quite lovingly applied, but it works well. Lacks a bit of focus, but it’s enjoyable with concentrated pear and melon flavours. Drinking Window 2021 - 2022.Decanter | 90 DEC

A bright, lively version, with the mix of apricot, peach and white nectarine fruit flavors enlivened by honeysuckle and acacia notes through the juicy finish. Drink now through 2026. 400 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis family makes two beautiful Condrieu, both of which are worth your time and money. Starting with the 2020 Condrieu, it has a classic nose of orange blossom, exotic flowers, and honeysuckle in a balanced, medium to full-bodied, incredibly pure style. It sees one-third new French oak, but you wouldn’t know it by tasting it.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDLovely nose of ripe peach and melon with honeysuckle and jasmine notes filling in the details of the colorful yet subtle nose. Rich and viscous, yet retaining delightful freshness that encourages you to linger over this classic Condrieu. You feel the weight slightly at the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSBottled in June 2021, the 2020 Condrieu was singing when I tasted it. Two-thirds of the volume was aged in tank, while one-third went into new oak, yet there’s no overt woodiness here, just pristine floral notes backed by ripe melon flavors. With less opulence and fewer apricot notes than the 2019, it’s medium to full-bodied, silky and elegant, with just the merest hint of bitterness evident on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Plenty of rich, ripe apricot and peach fruit, with lemon thyme and lemon verbena. Not overly full-bodied, this is more measured on the palate than some, well-tailored, with plenty of salty extract and scintillating acidity. With such a long finish, it’s exceptional this year. Aged in oak barriques, 35% new. Tasted non-blind. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 96 DEC

There’s a touch of oak on the nose and palate that helps to frame the tangy citrus notes, and lends a touch of spice, but it’s far from overwhelming. Full-bodied, classically Lirac in its breadth on the palate. Ends on a nip of grapefruit bitterness. Good acidity. Also contains Marsanne, Viognier and Piquepoul.Decanter | 92 DECBrimming with stone-fruit aromas with a touch of mango, this is a rich but very clean and crisp dry white from the Southern Rhone. Good concentration and a touch of positive tannin help it carry the generous body and 14.5% alcohol. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2021 Ventoux Terrasses Blanc is a gorgeous, clean, up-front, and delicious white that’s ideal for drinking over the coming summer months. Ripe lime, chalky mineral, mint, and some garrigue notes all define the nose, and it’s pure and clean on the palate, with wonderful fruit.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD