Condrieu Question

[quijote]

Yesterday I bought a 1998 Jean Michel Gerin Condrieu on impulse. It only set me back $6, but what might I expect? It was on a clearance shelf, so should I brace myself for vinegar?

I know, I know--there's only one way to find out for sure....but I'd kind of like to know what I'm getting into, as it'll be my first Condrieu....

[Drew]

If you have the "Coteau de la Loye" and storage was good, you'll likly have a very nice French Viognier. Let us know.

Drew

[winoweenie]

No snide remarks from the gallery but Quijote Guigals Vigoiner is a SW I still enjoy. The grape will take some ageing and the aromatics are stunning. WW

[Innkeeper]

Unbelievable price for a Condrieu. Have never seen one for less than $20!

[Thomas]

Maybe ww won't have to worry about the sw moniker. What's the color of the wine at this point? $6 is a suspicious price.

Maybe the wine was abused by the retailer who couldn't sell it (improper storage?). or maybe you gets lucky kid...

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-17-2003).]

[wondersofwine]

That is extremely low price for Condrieu. I like Rostaing's Bonnette (sp?) but it was a rather expensive white wine. The first time I tried it I found mountain herbs in the aroma and flavors, but the next time the herbal characteristic was not as prevalent. Sort of a smoky component though.

[quijote]

Yeah, this Condrieu could be real find or a real loss. The store I bought it from is kind of tiny and cramped, so it could have been trying to make way for other things (like the Beaujolais Nouveau!), but the wine guy there knows his stuff, so maybe maybe the wine is headed toward Dudville. In any case, I'm putting it on the must-drink list for next week, and I'll let you know what happens....

[Thomas]

Yeah, retailers are a strange lot, but I have yet to come across one that is willing to sell below cost, and I have yet to see a Condrieu with a wholesale price as low as $6.

So--it's either a find or a fuggedaboudit.

[quijote]

Well, the Condrieu has been opened, sniffed, and consumed, and the result is...

Good!

It was my first Condrieu, so I'm not entirely sure what I ought to have expected, but a friend and I enjoyed it the day after T-Day.

The wine had a very intense saffron color, and the aromas also were quite intense, with lots of honey and apple notes. At first pour, the taste was rather intense, almost like a lightly oaked chard. After a while the wine tamed down a bit and held a good balance of apples, apricot, and mineral, with a slight peppery zing on the finish. I'd buy it again for $6, and perhaps even for $12, but I'd like to try another one for comparison.

[Thomas]

Saffron color? That would scare me.

But if you liked it, you liked it.