This treasure was enjoyed right from my own collection at home in Cordillera, Colorado. It is billed as one of the rarest white wines in the world. I stumbled across this 1997 Condrieu at one of my favorite suppliers, Applejack Wine & Spirits of Denver, Colorado.
By way of developing a hobby, one of my friends has acquired the distinction of being one the three top Bon Vivants in the Washington D.C. area. So, his visit to my Vail Valley home while he attended a seminar midst Beaver Creek’s real estate was my incentive to impress him with a unique wine. Those of you who enjoy reading my friend’s restaurant reviews appreciate his sarcastic humor. I can certainly attest that gracious “damning with faint praise” would not be his response to a failed effort at culinary arts and wine selection from my Cordillera kitchen—regardless of the beautiful views of surrounding Cordillera CO real estate.
Condrieu vineyards are on a steep slope along the western bank of the Rhone River and are planted only in the difficult varietal Viognier. Blends are not an escape or diversion. The sandy arzelle soil is shallow and easily erodes, and the tedious labor of restoring it on these steep slopes adds to the considerable cost of wines from this region.
Condrieu wines are elegant, fresh and crisp, generally best young, and pair well with spicy Indian or Asian foods, strong cheeses (Stilton being my favorite), and certainly seafood like lobster, tuna or crab. Some historians argue that Greek sailors, while navigating the Rhone, brought Viognier and Syrah to the area between 600 and 400 B.C. Locals believe Romans imported Viognier from Dalmatia in the 3rd century, but written accounts only date back to 960 A.D.
So what of our meal? My particular Condrieu choice was a 1997 Brumaire de Bruyere from Delas Frères ($65 for 500ml). I thought this was a bit risky considering its age, but paired with Pecorino and cold cucumber soup sprinkled with mint harvested from my koi pond, it was fantastic! The Condrieu thankfully remained well-balanced, aromatic, and quite complex after a decade. Considering the price, I would recommend playing it safer and purchasing nothing over 5 years old. But, definitely try Condrieu, perhaps with your next lobster or Tandoori delight.
For our entrée, we enjoyed medium-rare buffalo steaks with jalapeno vinaigrette and slices of mango and avocado, served on a bed of field greens. After an unsuccessful struggle to find an interesting older Tannat (more on this great wine in a later article) and toying with an Old Vine Rioja, I settled on a 2001 Terrasole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (WS95; $85), which worked wonderfully with the buffalo and a side of bowtie pasta tossed with butter and fresh parsley.
Dessert was a decadent chocolate mousse from a local bakery accented by a 1994-Taylor’s Vintage Port from the only 99-rated year since 1948. The only 100-point year was 1927. Of, course, the Gaggia was put to good use churning out espresso. Best of all, the sarcasm from my friend was showered solely on his disbelief that I could pull it all off without hiring the chef from my golf-club restaurant!
