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Understanding and succeeding this vintage required, indeed, presence in the Vineyard, careful work, experience, and even, clearly, a genuine expertise...
Winter temperatures amongst the mildest in the decade, rainfall amounts amongst the highest ever in winter, among the lowest ever in spring, and a nice output of grapes throughout the Rhone cépages : everything would raise hope of an early vintage, the ever expected Vintage, satisfactory both in terms of quantity and of quality ! But it was not counting on an unusually cool and rainy summer... Vignerons are soon confronted with quite a few difficulties, the trickiest one being the management of diseases…
North winds coupled with a lovely late summer make forget this atypical summer. The grapes reach an excellent phenolic maturity. Les Vins Blancs are of very high level, in line with the preceding Vintage.
2014 demanded, especially during the final weeks, hard, incessant work. The vines were in demand. It was crucial to understand, to be able to anticipate...This required a bit of wisdom, reason, intuition...
A vintage for Vignerons, indeed. And the best ones did perform with talent. They are now rewarded. As for the others, alas... There, is the whole difference !
Paton, Chanson, Rocharde.
Type of soilGranit.
AgeingAgeing 10 months in new and one year old barrels. Allier et Tronçais.
10°C
Decant just before tasting.
Aromatic explosion without excessive exuberance, opulence without heaviness, thanks to a rarely achieved balance.
13,5%
BottlingWithout fining and light filtration.
CépagesViognier : 100 %
Even though the wine is from the Northern Rhône, I tasted this during my time in the south, so I opted to include it here. The 2014 Condrieu is a beautiful wine that has an upfront, voluptuous and layered personality to go with lots of melon, orange rind and apricot aromas and flavors. Aged ten months on less, in 40% new French oak, it has terrific purity and no shortage of richness or texture.
Jeb Dennuck
Wine Advocate
, 92/100
, 2015-10-01
Deep jasmine colour. Peachy broad nose. Rich and seductive with a certain savoury overlay over the broad blossomy fruit. Serious wine. Already very rewarding. Clean, neat finish – nothing hot. If these vines are 45 years old they must be some of the oldest in the appellation! Exciting wine but not especially showy.
Jancis Robinson
, 17,5/20
, 2015-10-30
Lovely fig, anise and pear aromas and flavors burst forth, showing a creamy feel overall. Offers a lively fennel and mirabelle plum spine for balance in the end.
James Molesworth
Wine Spectator
, 94/100
, 2016-03-08
Light, green-tinged gold. Lively, sharply focused aromas of nectarine, orange and pungent white flowers. A firm spine of minerality elegantly supports vibrant citrus and pit fruit flavors. Shows plenty of power, but the main impression here is of elegance and finesse. A chalky mineral note builds steadily on a nervy, sharply focused and impressively persistent finish, which leaves a zesty citrus fruit note behind.
Josh Raynolds
Vinous
, 92/100
, 2016-02-01
Top 2014 Northern Rhône
James Molesworth
Wine Spectator
, 94/100
, 2016-11-01