Domaine Georges Vernay : Les Chaillées de l'Enfer 2023

A focused, well-shaped Condrieu with texture and tension. Notes of white peaches, white flowers and warm herbs on the nose, following through to a medium body with plenty of volume to the linear mid-palate. Concentrated and driven, with a refreshing bitter-almond character on the citrusy finish. Drink or hold.

Leans into the lush style, showing expert balance and drive. Features concentrated layers of plush, fleshy apricot, peach and mango that pulse with saline-laced acidity. White tea tannins frame the rich, zesty finish, which stretches on and on. Excellent. Drink now through 2030. 6,000 cases made, 697 cases imported.

The 2023 Condrieu les Chaillees de l'Enfer, sourced from mid-slope old vines and bottled as a parcel selection rather than a lieu-dit, was vinified in foudres and barrels (without truncated vats). It reveals a solar yet elegant aromatic profile, offering aromas of almond, apricot, white flowers and white peach. Medium- to full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it combines ripeness with freshness, supported by a fine spine of acidity. Both dense and elegant, it’s framed by a subtle, gastronomic bitterness that lends definition, concluding with a perfumed, endless finish. This is a compelling Condrieu that marries power with finesse.