A late-harvest sweet wine, unusual for the region, the Condrieu Patience evokes violet and yellow fruit. Harvested from 20-year-old Viognier vines and only made on exceptional years, Patience is a lovely reward for those who can wait for it.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  In lieu of dessert, some prefer to serve a decadent dessert wine with an accompaniment of cheeses. This beauty has flavors of honey, apricot, acacia, and pure joy. Very pleasant, honeyed mouthfeel. Stone fruits a-plenty on a drawn-out finish. A dessert wine, but not syrupy, thick, or overly sweet. If you find an irresistible blue cheese or camembert, pop the cork on this bottle to go along with it.

  Food pairing: Cambozola cheese

A dry but mellow cuvée, this Condrieu is a blend from 30-year-old Viognier vines in different parcels. We find it sweet but not cloying, perfect with food.

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  Colin Talcroft

  Rather closed at the moment, but distantly offering white peaches and clean, grapey fruit scents. Attractive immediately for ripe, fruity sweetness on the palate overlaid with spice suggestive of nutmeg. Then intense on the mid-palate before becoming a little more delicate on a long, dry finish. Ready to drink, but will keep through around 2016.

  Food pairing: Arugula salad, baked squash, cold pasta with broad beans, light curry dishes

Montez’s Condrieus are rich, ripe wines, made in a much bolder style than our other Condrieus. Les Grandes Chaillées is a plump wine that combines Viognier grapes from three areas: Chavanay for its apricot taste; Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône for minerality; and Vérin for richness.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A pretty medium-gold in the glass. Overflowing with scents of wood, pear blossoms, and apricots overlaid with more unusual scents, including smoke and tomatoes. A complex, evolving nose. Decadent, unctuous richness on the palate is balanced by citrus and spice on an extended finish. Ready to drink, but likely to keep through around 2016, with the fruit likely receding a little, emphasizing the spicier, grittier flavors.

  Food pairing: Pasta primavera in a light cream sauce, light curry dishes, the local goat cheese "Rigotte de Condrieu"

This classic Condrieu, assembled from several Viognier vines, bears the trademark of François Merlin’s taste: not too cloying and sweet, with vivacity and minerality.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  Dreamy and seductive on the nose, with suggestions of white flowers, wet stone, chalk, stone fruits, and confectioneries. Of medium body on the palate, which features white flowers, honey, perfume, and intense, ethereal apricot flavors that lead into a clean, delicate finish. The high level of alcohol is apparent—and part of the charm.

  Food pairing: apricot tart; chicken in an apricot sauce

This classic Condrieu, assembled from several Viognier vines, bears the trademark of François Merlin’s taste: not too cloying and sweet, with vivacity and minerality.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  The nose on this wine is very intense. I want to wear this as perfume! It smells rich, seductive and a tiny bit sweet (lots of ripe apricot) but the mouthfeel is anything but. Very rich and dense, with a dry finish. If you want to impress your friends during the next wine-and-cheese party, bring this bottle with a good camembert.

  Food pairing: Stinky French cheese, camembert

Montez’ Condrieus are rich, ripe wines, made in a much bolder style than our other Condrieus. Chanson is a blend of grapes from Viognier vines aged 10-30 years in the Chanson lieu-dit, producing a ripe but balanced wine that is fruitier than the usual Condrieu — reminiscent of the Sauternes wines from Bordeaux.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Vibrant with plenty of delicious apricot, pear, and Meyer lemon scents up front. The nose is inviting, the palate even more seductive, with opulent stone fruit and a balancing citrus bite.

  Food pairing: Grilled prawns

Silver medal winner, Sommelier Wine Awards, 2014. Made from a blend of Syrah and 8-10% Viognier, Montez’s Côte Rôtie Fortis is fermented in a sandwich — Syrah first, then Viognier, then more Syrah on top — thus preventing over-oxidization of the Viognier grapes and releasing a fruitier, less dry feel than other Côte-Rôties.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  The complex nose offers spicy tapenade, brine, minerals, earth, and coffee grounds along with pungent herbal notes, particularly juniper. Full bodied. The palate suggests dark fruits, herbs, roasted meat, coffee grounds, black olives, earth, and tapenade plus something smoky. The long, lingering finish builds in fruity intensity over time. An overlying thin vein of minerality and ample tannins contribute to remarkable balance. Wow! A dramatic, sexy wine that cries out for grilled steak or barbecued meat.

  Food pairing: Grilled steak or barbecued meat

The domaine’s top cuvée, this is François Merlin’s “keeping wine”, the one he takes out to show off to guests. “A definite cut above” Merlin’s other Condrieu, according to Rhône expert Livingstone-Learmonth.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A beautiful nose makes this wine immediately appetizing. Hints of oak and citrus—blood oranges come to mind—nutmeg, sandalwood, white peaches, and even mint come up out of the glass. The sort of wine that’s as pleasurable to smell as it is to drink—but don’t forget to sip. You won’t want to miss the rich, complex, yet sophisticated flavors on offer. A long, intense finish gives a sense of power, yet never overpowering. Delicious now, but likely to keep through around 2017.

  Food pairing: Aperitif, Arugula salad, baked squash, cold pasta with broad beans or other seasonal vegetables, light curry dishes

The domaine’s top cuvée, this is François Merlin’s “keeping wine”, the one he takes out to impress his guests. “A definite cut above” Merlin’s other Condrieu, according to Rhône expert Livingstone-Learmonth.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A heady, complex wine. Toast, wood, caramel, and apricots mark the nose. Intensely flavored on the palate, with the alcohol apparent but not overpowering. Slightly tannic on the mid-palate. Powerful yet silky, buttery yet clean. Less overtly fruity than other Condrieus, but still seductive. Delicious now, and likely to remain at its peak for another year or two at least.

  If you love Condrieu, don’t miss this one. An unusually fine example of the appellation.

  Food pairing: Delicious to sip on its own; light herb-scented dishes, including pastas with fresh peas, beans or other legumes; rich fish or shellfish, including scallops and lobster dishes; roasted root vegetables; Condrieu often pairs surprisingly well with mild curries

Created with Pichon’s oldest and best exposed Viognier vines, then aged in new oak for 9 months, this Condrieu is rich, ripe, and concentrated. It is Pichon’s top Condrieu!

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  A happy, zingy wine with loads of pear, tangy apricot, and spice. Ripe fruit but also herbal notes (I detected a bit of basil.) A perfect wine to drink outdoors with grilled fish and spring vegetables.

  Food pairing: Grilled halibut