View source for Condrieu AOC

{{Short description|French wine-growing region}}
{{Infobox wine region
| name = Condrieu AOC
| image =Guigal Condrieu.JPG
| official name =Wine from the Condrieu AOC
| other name = 
| type = AOC
| year = 1940
| wine years = 
| country = France
| part of = Rhône Valley
| similar = 
| sub regions = 
| season = 
| climate region = mild continental
| heat units = 
| precipitation = 
| soil = gneiss
| total size = 202 ha
| planted =
| vineyards =101
| grapes =Viognier
| varietals =
| wineries = 76
| wine produced = sec, demi-sec, doux
| designation =
| comments = 2005
}}
[[Image:Northern Rhone Valley wine regions.JPG|right|thumb|350px|Location of the Condrieu AOC among the major in wine regions of the Northern Rhône]]

'''Condrieu''' ({{IPA|fr|kɔ̃dʁijø|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-Sebleouf-Condrieu.wav}}; from the [[French language|French]] ''coin de ruisseau,'' {{literally|corner of the [[stream|brook]]}}, {{IPA|fr|kwɛ̃ də ʁɥiso|pron}})<ref name="MacNeil pg 235-240">K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' pp. 235–240 Workman Publishing 2001 {{ISBN|1-56305-434-5}}</ref>  is a [[French wine]]-growing ''[[Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée]]'' (AOC) located in the northern [[Rhône wine|Rhône]], near [[Vienne, Isère|Vienne]] and to the south of the [[Côte-Rôtie AOC]]. The vineyards are situated in the seven communes of [[Limony]], [[Chavanay]], [[Malleval, Loire|Malleval]], [[Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône]], [[Saint-Pierre-de Boeuf]], [[Vérin]], and [[Condrieu]]. These communes are in the French departments of [[Ardèche]], [[Rhône (department)|Rhône]] and [[Loire]] on the steep slopes of the foothills of the [[Massif Central]] on the right bank of the [[Rhône]]. The four southernmost communes can also produce wine under the [[Saint-Joseph AOC]]. The wines made in this AOC are exclusively [[white wine|white]], from the [[Viognier]] [[List of grape varieties|grape]], which may have originated in the region. The smaller AOC of [[Château-Grillet]] is [[enclave]]d within Condrieu and produces wines that are also 100% Viognier. The Condrieu AOC was officially created in 1940.<ref name="AOC"/>

==History==
[[Viticulture]] in the area around Condrieu has existed since at least [[Roman Gaul|Roman times]] and it is possible that the area was first cultivated by the native [[Allobroges]] tribe.<ref name="Johnson pg 89">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 89 Simon and Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}</ref> In the 18th century, Condrieu enjoyed a period of popularity as it gained access to the lucrative [[Paris]]ian market. The wine was transported north by land to the city of [[Saint-Étienne]] where the [[Loire]] would carry the wine to the [[Canal de Briare]] and then to Paris. During periods of peace between [[Ancien Régime in France|France]] and [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]], Condrieu would find its way to the London market.<ref name="Johnson pg 283 & 299">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 283 & 299 Simon and Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}</ref>

For most of the 20th century before the early 1970s, the only northern Rhône wine well-known far from the region was [[Hermitage AOC|Hermitage]], and there was little demand on the export market for Rhône wines. Producing wine from hillside vineyards requires more labour than on flat vineyards, and is therefore economically difficult when demand and prices are low. This was particularly felt by some Rhône appellations in the early post-World War II era, including Condrieu and its neighbour [[Côte-Rôtie]], with the 1950s and 1960s a particularly difficult time. Rhône wines in general started to be more in demand from the early 1970s, and stronger so from the late 1970s/early 1980s. From this time, the négociant business of [[Marcel Guigal]] at [[Ampuis]] helped expand the market for Condrieu wines. Guigal primarily made his name with his Côte-Rôtie wines which then paved the way for his bottlings from other appellations, which also includes a significant portion of white wine. Guigal's Condrieu was sourced from small growers in the appellation.<ref name="JLL">{{cite book |title=The Wines of the Northern Rhône |last=Livingstone-Learmonth |first=John |authorlink=John Livingstone-Learmonth |year=2005 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=978-0-520-24433-7 |pages=6–7 }}</ref>

The increase in demand led to new plantations inside the appellation's border, which at the time was far from fully exploited and at one stage included many abandoned vineyards. The area under vine was less than {{convert|12|ha}} in the 1960s, {{convert|14|ha}} in 1982, {{convert|98|ha}} at the end of the century and {{convert|135|ha}} in 2005.<ref name="JLL"/><ref name="Johnson atlas pg 132">H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' pg 132 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 2005 {{ISBN|1-84000-332-4}}</ref>

==Climate and geography==
As in much of Northern Rhone, the climate of Condrieu is [[continental (wine)|continental]] and characterized by cold wet winters and hot summers. Ideally situated vineyards are planted on [[granite]] soils and face south, which aids growth during the cool months of late spring and early autumn. The well-drained granite soil retains heat during the day and reflects it back to the vines at night.<ref name="MacNeil pg 235-240"/> In some areas the soil includes a fine layer of decomposed [[chalk]], [[flint]] and [[mica]] which is known in the region as ''arzelle''.<ref name="Sotheby pg 215-216">T. Stevenson ''The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia'' pp. 215–216 Dorling Kindersley 2005 {{ISBN|0-7566-1324-8}}</ref> The best vineyards have some natural shelter from the fierce northern winds that blow through the region and wreak havoc during [[flowering]]. The steep incline of many vineyards exposes them to [[soil erosion]].<ref name="Oxford pg 192">J. Robinson (ed) ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'' Third Edition  p. 192 Oxford University Press 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}}</ref> 

The Condrieu AOC covers more than 500 acres (202 ha)<ref name="Spectator">J. Molesworth ''"[http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/Premium/0,1197,3035,00.html Vintage Analysis: Northern Rhône 2003 and 2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205165143/http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/Premium/0,1197,3035,00.html |date=2008-12-05 }}"'' Wine Spectator December 06, 2005</ref> of hilly terrain located along a 12 miles (19&nbsp;km) stretch of the Rhône.<ref name="Dummies pg 132-133">E. McCarthy & M. Ewing-Mulligan ''"French Wine for Dummies"'' pp. 132–133 Wiley Publishing 2001 {{ISBN|0-7645-5354-2}}</ref> The AOC region begins at the town of Condrieu and extends south along the west bank of the river to the town of Limony. Within the AOC is 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) of Château-Grillet, which has its own micro-appellation.<ref name="Spectator"/>

==Wine==
[[File:Condrieu Viognier.jpg|left|thumb|A Condrieu wine]]
The only wine that can be sold under the Condrieu AOC is a white wine made entirely from Viognier. The clone of Viognier grown in Condrieu produces low [[yield (wine)|yield]]s of small berries and is less productive than the clones planted in other regions of France, such as the ''[[vin de pays]]'' wine of the neighboring [[Ardèche]] department. This contributes to the expense of Condrieu AOC wine, of which only 30 000 or so cases are produced annually.<ref name="Dummies pg 132-133"/> In the early to mid 20th century, Condrieu producers tended to make wines that were off-dry to [[sweetness of wine|sweet]] but by the end of the century the trend was to produce mostly dry wines. In particularly favourable [[vintage]]s, some producers will make a sweet [[late harvest wine]].<ref name="Sotheby pg 215-216"/>

Condrieu wine is often characterised by delicate aromatics of [[peach]]es, [[dried fruit]] and white flowers. Some examples also have notes of [[anise]], [[carambola|star fruit]] and [[melon]]s. Often the wine is [[body (wine)|full bodied]] and rich in a style that is texturally similarly to [[Chardonnay]].<ref name="Spectator"/> Normally the wine is made dry but the fruitiness and perfume of the bouquet can suggest sweetness.<ref name="Sotheby pg 215-216"/> The Viognier grape is naturally low in acidity, which challenges growers and winemakers to keep the wine from becoming flabby and bleak. Some winemakers in the region use [[malolactic fermentation]] and some do not.<ref name="Oxford pg 192"/> The delicate flavors of the wine can be overwhelmed by too much [[oak (wine)|oak]] during the [[winemaking]] process.<ref name="MacNeil pg 235-240"/>

===Aging===
The ability of Condrieu to age is much discussed in the wine industry and opinions differ. Some experts like [[Master of Wine]] [[Mary Ewing-Mulligan]] believe that it is best consumed within three years of [[harvest (wine)|harvest]].<ref name="Dummies pg 132-133"/> ''[[The Oxford Companion to Wine]]'' describes Condrieu as one of the few luxury wines that is meant to be consumed young, typically within two to four years.<ref name="Oxford pg 192"/> Wine writer [[Tom Stevenson]] recommends drinking Condrieu within four to eight years of harvest and notes that its freshness and purity can be lost as the wine ages.<ref name="Sotheby pg 215-216"/> James Molesworth of ''[[Wine Spectator]]'' notes that some vintages of Condrieu, such as the 2004, will produce more intense, concentrated wines that will age gracefully.<ref name="Spectator"/>

== Appellation regulations ==
[[File:Viognier.jpg|right|thumb|Viognier grapes]]
The Condrieu AOC can only be used for still white wines made from Viognier. The planting density must be at least 6 500 vines per hectare, and the base [[yield (wine)|yield]] is 41 hectoliter per hectare. The grape must reach a maturity giving at least 178 g/L sugar in the must (corresponding to 10.5 per cent [[potential alcohol]]) and the finished wines must have at least 11.5 per cent alcohol by volume, but no more than 14 per cent after any [[chaptalisation]]. If the wine has more than 45&nbsp;grams per liter of sugar (only applicable for rare sweet Condrieu wines), it must not have been chaptalised to reach that sugar level.<ref name="AOC">[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000021208871&dateTexte=vig#LEGIARTI000021227768 Appellation regulations, version of October 28, 2009] on [[Légifrance]]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
* [http://www.vins-rhone.com/en/appellation/condrieu Cotes du Rhone Wines Website]
{{Wines}}

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[[Category:Rhône wine AOCs]]
[[Category:1940s establishments in France]]