Château De La Gardine, Brunel de la Gardine Condrieu, 2021

Brunel De La Gardine’s Condrieu shimmers gold in the glass, with generous aromas of apricot, peach and quince lifted by hints of violet, honey and warm spice. Rich yet poised, it glides across the palate with silky balance and a gently brioche finish.

Condrieu, birthplace of Viognier, clings to the vertiginous slopes of the northern Rhône (so steep that tending the vines borders on heroic). Once nearly lost to history, the appellation now flourishes again, producing some of the world’s most seductive white wines - this one a particularly elegant example.