2009 Condrieu

Gangloff considers 2009 to be a classic, dream vintage for Condrieu. "That's because the wines are very rich but also have a core of minerality that gives them freshness and precision as well. They're full and powerful and dense but not fat and not sweet. It's rare to have both richness and elegance but in '09 it happened. You can drink the wines now, for the fruit, but they'll also age well on their minerality." Gangloff feels pretty much the same way about the red wines but suspects that they'll be at their best in middle age, at about age seven or so, "because the vintage is more about fruit than structure. The wines aren't soft, by any means, but their appeal seems to be more about immediate fruit." There will only be one Cote-Rotie from 2008 here as Gangloff sold off some of his younger-vine fruit and blended what would normally be La Sereine Noire with the best juice normally designated for La Barbarine.