A top scoring selection of elegant, vineyard expressive Viognier wines, these enticing 2021 Remi Niero Condrieu cuvees offer fresh, richly aromatic and lush textured fruit with bright, vibrant acidity, a selection of exquisite dry white wines masterfully crafted to be "characterful and expressive of their various terroirs" according to the Wine Advocate's Joe Czerwinski and ready to enjoy over the next 5-7 years at an unbeatable value price.
Situated on steep terraced vineyards separated by centuries' old stone walls, the cultivation of Condrieu in the Northern Rhone was nearly abandoned in the early 21st century with only a dozen hectares remaining, until a few enthusiastic Viognier growers including Remi Niero's father Robert began replanting the abandoned slopes in the 1980's and reestablishing the appellation to include only the best exposures for ripening the Viognier grape. Located on the right bank of the Rhone about 40 kilometers south of Lyon, the organically farmed vineyards of third generation winemaker Remi Niero span 4 hectares throughout the small Condrieu AOC on precipitous, sunny slopes above the river, planted with vines ranging from 40 to over 70 years of age in stony soils of granite and gneiss with pockets of sand and schist that imbue Remi's Condrieu wines with engaging floral aromatics and distinctive minerality. Aged in a mix of mostly used French oak and stainless steel for 12 months, the enticing single vineyard 95 pt. 2021 Remi Niero Condrieu Couer de Roncharde comes from a top old vine parcel on the La Roncharde hill, a rich, opulent expression of Viognier crafted in a "neat, citrusy style" according to Decanter's Matt Walls, while the single vineyard 94 pt. 2021 Remi Niero Condrieu Vernon comes from old vines grown on an exceptional hillside terroir yielding "a great texture, integrated acidity, and one heck of a finish" according to Jeb Dunnuck. A harmonious blend of the estate's best barrels, the lush and concentrated 97 pt. 2021 Remi Niero Condrieu Cherytage reveals aromatic honeyed fruit with bright saline acidity in a "more steely, mineral-driven" style according to Jeb Dunnuck with a refreshing, lengthy finish.
Crafted to mirror their distinctive Condrieu terroir, Jeb Dunnuck described the exceptional 2021 Remi Niero Condrieu wines as "impeccably made and a quintessential expression of this incredible appellation," all meticulously hand crafted to deliver pleasurable drinking for lovers of the world's best Viognier wines at an affordable price.
More nectarine than peach, this has real presence on the palate, and great freshness. Concentrated and intense, this has great salinity and impact and huge length, with a refreshing mineral edge. This is not a new cuvée, but rather an evolution of their cuvée Héritage. After a closer inspection of their plot boundaries, it transpired that their Chéry plot is actually partly in Vernon, partly in Chéry. So now they are bottling the Vernon part separately, and the remaining part of Chéry now goes into their cuvée Héritage from the 2021 vintage - hence the new name, Chérytage.
97 points, Matt Walls, Decanter (Sep 2022)
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