Domaine du Monteillet Condrieu Les Grandes Chaillees
Grape variety: 100% Viognier.
Stéphane Montez's family have been growing grapes in the Northern Rhône for ten generations and today have 23 hectares of prime vineyards in Condrieu, Côte Rôtie and Saint-Joseph. After formally studying winemaking in France, Stéphane travelled to South Africa, Australia, California and England to experience winemaking outside France before returning to the family estate. He took over the business in 1997, and has driven the quality of the wines and the domaine’s reputation to ever greater heights. His winemaking style focuses on power, precision and structure achieved through temperature-controlled fermentations, careful extraction and the use of demi-muids across the range.
The Viognier grapes for Condrieu come from six parcels on superb terroirs in Chavanay, Saint Michel sur Rhône et Vérin. The Chaillées are the dry stone walls that support the terraced vines on the steep granite slopes. After skin contact fermentation and careful battonage, the wine is aged for 11 months in oak to develop further complexity.
Tasting notes:
Viognier at its very finest: elegant, delicately perfumed, fresh and mineral with layers of flavour and complexity. Still young, this is still full of primary flavours, a true taste of Viognier and after 10 years will develop wonderfully honeyed secondary flavours.
Match with grilled prawns, turbot with hollandaise, or a top notch macaroni cheese. It's just great wine, enjoy it!