Wine Advocate December, 2013

Slightly richer, with more texture, the 2012 Condrieu les Chaillets offers beautiful notes of ripe peaches, citrus, vanilla bean and hints of cream. Coming from the oldest vines of the estate and barrel fermented and aged, it flows onto the palate with medium-bodied richness and depth, beautiful purity and a big finish.

Slightly richer, with more texture, the 2012 Condrieu les Chaillets offers beautiful notes of ripe peaches, citrus, vanilla bean and hints of cream. Coming from the oldest vines of the estate and barrel fermented and aged, it flows onto the palate with medium-bodied richness and depth, beautiful purity and a big finish. Yves releases two cuvees from Cornas, and I found the quality consistent in 2012, yet preferred the Vires release by a fair margin in 2011. There are three Saint Joseph cuvees in red: the Les Pierres Seches, which comes from sand and granite soils around the town of Chavanay; the L'Amarybelle, which comes from high density, terraced plantings of older vines; and lastly, the Les Serines, which comes from the oldest vines of the estate and is the only cuvee to see new oak. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

Old vines from Chavannay. Floral and talcum powder aromas. Toffee and cream from the oak – just enough to add breadth and spice without being dominant. Mouthfilling and thick, but still refreshing. (RH)