Jean-Luc Colombo Condrieu Amour de Dieu 2000
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Robert
Parker
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Grape Varieties: 100% Viognier from 40-year-old vines.Vinification: Grapes are harvested manually at peak of ripeness. The wine is aged in 100% new oak on its lees. A weekly stirring of the lees during the first few months is followed by malolactic fermentation in the barrel. The wine is fined but not filtered before bottling the next summer.
Description:Color - golden yellow colorBouquet - Beautifully complex nose of apricots, pear, acacia and soft spices accompanied by hints of vanilla. Taste - On the palate, it is rich, powerful and aromatic with a long and elegant finish. The fermentation in oak enhances the delicacy of the wine. It is an intense, yet well-balanced wine with a pleasing fresh acidity.Serving Suggestions: "Amour de Dieu" complements all white fish dishes served with a cream sauce. After 4 or 5 years it will be splendid with white poultry and white meat entrees.
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- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
As the source of some of the most vibrant and powerful white wines in France, Condrieu is uniquely situated in one of the northern outposts of the Rhone River. It is the original Viognier appellation with a wine growing history reaching back well over two thousand years. Like most of the wine regions of the Northern Rhone, Condrieu’s vines grow on extremely steep and narrow granite terraces. But what makes the region unique is a topsoil, locally called, “arzelle,” made of decomposed mica. This and a sheltering of the harsh northern winds, make optimal sites to produce opulent and brilliant Viognier. It is a tiny zone with no room for expansion and produces miniscule amounts of wine each year, contributing to its allure.
A fine Condrieu will have aromas and flavors suggestive of ripe stone fruit, lime peel, green almond, ginger, white flowers and toasted nuts. A honeyed smell may mislead you to think the wine will be sweet but the modern style favors totally dry on the palate. Its texture will be full and soft but a touch of mineral will provide great balance.