Location of the Condrieu AOC among the major in wine regions of the Northern Rhône.

Condrieu (From the French coin de ruisseau meaning "corner of the brook")^[1] is a French wine-growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) located in the northern Rhône wine, near Vienne and to the south of the Côte-Rôtie AOC. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, on over 800000 Hectares (over 2 million Acres of Vineyards and in a typical Appellation d’origine contrôlée ( AOC) which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée Vienne is a commune in east central France, located 20 miles south of Lyon, on the Rhône River. Côte-Rôtie is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France. The vineyards are situated in the seven communes of Limony, Chavanay, Malleval, Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, Saint-Pierre-de Boeuf, Vérin, and Condrieu in the French departments of Ardèche, Rhône and Loire on the steep slopes of the foothills of the Massif Central on the right bank of the Rhône river. Limony is a commune in the Ardèche département in southern France. Chavanay is a Village and commune in the Loire département of central France. Malleval is the name of 2 communes in France Malleval was untile 2005 the name of Malleval-en-Vercors, in the Isère department Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône is a Village and commune in the Loire département of central France. Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf is a Village and commune in the Loire département of central France. Vérin is a Village and commune in the Loire département of central France. Condrieu is a French commune located in the Rhône département of the Rhône-Alpes région Ardèche ( Occitan and Arpitan: Ardecha) is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River. Rhône ( Franco-Provençal: Rôno) is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. Loire ( Arpitan: Lêre, Occitan: Léger) is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the The Massif Central ( Occitan: Massís Central / Massís Centrau) is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of Mountains and The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. The four southernmost communes can also produce wine under the Saint-Joseph AOC. Saint-Joseph or St-Joseph is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France The wines made in this AOC are exclusively white, from the Viognier grape, which may have originated in the region. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay is a white Wine Grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley This is a list of varieties of cultivated Grapes whether used for Wine, or eating as a Table grape, fresh or dried ( Raisin, currant, sultana Within Condrieu is the enclave AOC of Château-Grillet, producing wines that are also 100% Viognier. Château-Grillet is a Wine -growing AOC and Winery in the northern Rhône wine region of France, near Vienne.

History

Viticulture in the area around Condrieu has existed since at least Roman times with the possibility that the area was first cultivated by the native Allobroges tribe. Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of For Gaul before the Roman conquest see Gaul. Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day The Allobroges were a warlike Celtic tribe in Gaul located between the Rhône River and the Lake of Geneva in what later became Savoy ^[2] In the 18th century, Condrieu enjoyed a period of popularity as it gained access to the lucrative Parisian market. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The wine was transported over land up north to the city of Saint-Étienne where the Loire River would carry the wine northward to the Canal de Briare and then to Paris. Saint-Étienne ( Sant-Etiève in Arpitan) is a city in the central eastern part of France, 60 km (40 miles southwest of Lyon. The Loire River (lwaʁ in French) is the longest River in France. The Canal de Briare is one of the oldest Canals in France. It is the first summit level canal in Europe that was built using Pound locks connecting the During periods of peace between France and Great Britain, Condrieu would finds it way to the London market. The Ancien Régime, a French term rendered in English as “Old Rule” “Old Kingdom” or simply “Old Regime” refers primarily to the aristocratic The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 ^[3] The 20th century saw a period of vineyard expansion for the region with the AOC expanding from less than 30 acres (12 hectare) in the 1960s to over 240 acres (98 ha) by the end of the century. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, ^[4]

Climate and geography

The climate of Condrieu, like much of the Northern Rhone, is continental and characterized by cold, wet winters and hot summer. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year Most ideally situated vineyards are planted on granite soils that face a southern orientation, aiding the growth process during the cool late spring and early fall months. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. The well drained granite soil retains heat during the day and reflects it back to the vines at night. ^[1] In some areas the soil includes a fine layer of decomposed chalk, flint and mica known locally in the region as arzelle. Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word la micare, "glitteren" in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral (especially ^[5] Some of the best vineyard sites include some natural sheltering from the fierce northern winds that blow through the region and could wreck havoc during flowering. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also The steep incline of many vineyards introduces the potential hazard of soil erosion. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind ^[6]

The Condrieu AOC covers more than 500 acres (202 hectares)^[7] of hilly terrain located along a 12 miles (19 km) stretch of the Rhône river. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand ^[8] The AOC region begins at the town of Condrieu itself and extends south along the west bank of the river to the town of Limony. Within the AOC is 8. 5 acres (3. 4 hectares) of Château-Grillet that forms it own micro appellation. ^[7]

Wine

The only permitted AOC wine is the region is a white wine made 100% from Viognier. The particular clone of Viognier in Condrieu produces low yields of small berries and are less productive than the Viognier clones planted in other regions of France-such as the vin de pays wine of the Ardèche department. In Agriculture, crop yield (also known as "agricultural output" is not only a measure of the Yield of cereal per unit area of land under cultivation Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine" Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine ( Vin de table The low production contributes to the rarity and expense of Condrieu wine with the AOC produces around 30,000 cases annually. ^[8] In the early to mid 20th century, there was a trend among Condrieu producers to make wines that were off dry to sweet but by the end of the 20th century the trend was to produce mostly dry wines though in particularly favorable vintages, some producers will make a late harvest wine. The sweetness of a Wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS in the fermentation proces Vintage, in Wine -making is the process of picking Grapes and creating the finished product Late harvest is a term applied to Wines made from Grapes left on the Vine longer than usual ^[5]

Condrieu wine is often characterized by it delicate aromatics of peaches, dried fruit and white flowers. The peach ( Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine such as a Food dehydrator. Some examples can also have notes of anise, star fruit and melons. '''Anise''' or Aniseed, less commonly anís (stressed on the second syllable ( Pimpinella anisum) is a Flowering plant in the family Apiaceae ||-||-|}The carambola is a species of Tree native to Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka and is popular throughout Southeast Asia, Melon is a term used for various members of the Cucurbitaceae family with fleshy fruit The wine is often full bodied and rich in a style that is texturally similarly to Chardonnay. The use of Wine tasting descriptors allow the taster an opportunity to put into words the Aromas and Flavors that they experience and can be used in assessing Chardonnay is a green-skinned Grape variety used to make white Wine. ^[7] The wine is normally made dry but the fruitiness and perfume of the bouquet can give the impression that the wine is sweet. ^[5] The Viognier grape is naturally low in acidity which presents a challenge to vine growers and wine makers to keep the wine from becoming flabby and bleak. The delicate flavors of the wine can be overwhelmed with too much oak during the winemaking process. The use of Oak in Wine plays a significant role in Winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine impacting the color flavor Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of Wine, starting with selection of the Grapes and ending with bottling the finished wine ^[1] Malolactic fermentation is not universally practiced in Condrieu with some winemakers using the technique and some not. Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion) is a process of a change used in Winemaking where tart-tasting Malic acid, naturally present ^[6]

Ageability

The ability to age is one of much discussion and differing opinion in the wine world with some experts like Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan believing that Condrieu is best consume within three years of harvest. Master of Wine ( MW) is a qualification (not an Academic degree) which has existed since 1953 and is conferred by The Institute of Masters of Wine The Harvesting of Wine Grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of Winemaking. ^[8] The Oxford Companion to Wine describes Condrieu as one the few luxury wines that is meant to be consumed young-typically within two to four years. The Oxford Companion to Wine is a book in the series of Oxford Companions published by Oxford University Press. ^[6] Wine writer Tom Stevenson, recommends drinking Condrieu between 4 to 8 years after harvest and notes that freshness and purity of Condrieu can be lost as the wine ages. Tom Stevenson (born 1951 is a British Author who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years ^[5] James Molesworth, of Wine Spectator Magazine, notes that some vintage of Condrieu-such as 2004- will produce more intense, concentrated wines that have the ability to age. Wine Spectator is a Magazine that focuses on Wine. Founded as a newsprint tabloid by Bob Morrisey in 1976 it was purchased three years later by publisher ^[7]

References