E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane

Description

E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane is made from 100% Viognier grapes sourced from traditionally cultivated vineyards planted on steep terraced slopes. It is Guigal’s luxury Condrieu cuvee. The vineyards of Condrieu are located in the northern Rhone to the south of the Cote Rotie AOC. The Condrieu Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée was officially created in 1940 and allows for the production of exclusively white wines from the Viognier grape.

Guigal was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the village of Ampuis in the heart of the Cote Rotie appellation, Etienne was succeeded by his son Marcel in 1961 and today Marcel’s son Philippe is the estate’s winemaker. The famous Chateau d’Ampuis was acquired in 1995 and this historic renaissance château is Guigal headquarters with the offices and cellars remaining in the small village of Ampuis. Today, Guigal is considered to be one of the very best producers of Rhone wines.

The grapes for E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane come from the top 5 vineyard sites of the appellatio. These include “Côte Chatillon”, Condrieu (shale, silicone limestone 1 hectare), “Colombier”, St Michel Sur Rhone (Granite, sand, 1 hectare), “Volan”, St Pierre de Boeuf (granite with iron oxide, 1 hectare) and “Coteau de Chéry, Condrieu (1/2 hectare). The vines have an average age of 35 years old.  The clone of Viognier grown in Condrieu tends to produce lower yields of small berries compared to viognier grown elsewhere. The wine is vinified and matured exclusively in new oak barrels (since 2003 Guigal have had their own cooperage at Chateau d’Ampuis) for 12 months and the wine undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation.