Wine Advocate December, 2013 My favorite of the lineup (and the only 2011 presented), the 2011 Condrieu Vertige (same elevage as the 2012) has gorgeous notes of flower oil, lychee nut, vanilla bean and hints of apricot that flow to a rich, classy, medium to full-bodied Condrieu that dishes out gobs of fruit and texture, yet never seems heavy or over the top. Certainly, it-s made in a rich style though, and deserves a classy meal. Enjoy it over the coming couple of years (although I suspect it will last longer).

My favorite of the lineup (and the only 2011 presented), the 2011 Condrieu Vertige (same elevage as the 2012) has gorgeous notes of flower oil, lychee nut, vanilla bean and hints of apricot that flow to a rich, classy, medium to full-bodied Condrieu that dishes out gobs of fruit and texture, yet never seems heavy or over the top. Certainly, it-s made in a rich style though, and deserves a classy meal. Enjoy it over the coming couple of years (although I suspect it will last longer). 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