Wine Arcana

Region

Condrieu

Condrieu is a white-wine appellation on the Rhône's right bank south of Lyon, beside Côte-Rôtie. Its wines are made entirely from Viognier, whose peach-and-apricot perfume and broad texture define the region.1. Condrieu specification, sections V, VII, and IX. The sugar threshold refers to glucose and fructose in the wine. Steep terraces supply the grape with sun and shelter, while making vineyard work unusually labour-intensive.

Cultivating the slopes

The vineyards extend through seven communes, from Condrieu south to Limony. Granite and related rocks weather into fragile sandy-clay soils. Growers hold these soils on the hillside with dry-stone walls supporting narrow terraces, known locally as chaillées. Maintaining walls and controlling runoff are continuing parts of farming here. Much of the ground offers little scope for mechanisation.

South- and southeast-facing slopes provide sunlight and some protection from cold northerly winds. Water supply also matters: roots exploit fissures in the bedrock, and soil depth varies between parcels. Plantgrape identifies adequate soil depth as useful for protecting Viognier against drought, while its early budbreak exposes it to spring frost.

Ripeness and wine

Viognier can accumulate considerable sugar while retaining relatively modest acidity. This helps explain Condrieu's combination of aromatic intensity and weight. Ripeness, water supply, and the growing season affect that balance; the grape can also give a slight bitterness that contributes to the wine's finish.

Most Condrieu is dry, though producers also make small quantities of sweeter wine from very ripe grapes. The rules recognise wines containing at least 45 grams per litre of fermentable sugar, requiring overripe fruit gathered in successive picking passes. All Condrieu grapes must be harvested by hand.1. Condrieu specification, sections V, VII, and IX. The sugar threshold refers to glucose and fructose in the wine. The appellation's floral and ripe-fruit aromas therefore accompany several degrees of sweetness.

Decline and recovery

Phylloxera, war, and employment in the industrial Rhône valley depleted the labour available for the difficult slopes. The vineyard came close to disappearing during the twentieth century. Its later recovery required replanting and renewed commitment to terrace cultivation. Appellation recognition came in 1940, followed by an extension southward in 1967.2. Condrieu specification, section X.1(b).

Sources