The 2024 Condrieu Jardin Suspendu by Pierre-Jean Villa shows Viognier from its elegant side. The grapes come from the steep, barren granite slopes of Condrieu in the northern Rhône. The name "Jardin Suspendu" – the hanging garden – recalls the terraces above the estate, where vegetables were grown after the Second World War due to their warm southern exposure.
In the glass, it is immediately clear why Viognier is one of the great aromatic white wine varieties: ripe peach, apricot and white flowers, accompanied by orange zest, fine spices and a stony, mineral note. On the palate, the wine possesses the typical silky texture and richness of a Condrieu, yet remains astonishingly precise and fresh.
This is precisely where we see the strength of this wine: richness without heaviness. The fruit is ripe and generous, but is captured by mineral drive, fine spice and a salty note. The long, precise finish makes this a Viognier with real character – and a magnificent food companion.
The grapes are pressed as whole clusters and the wine is subsequently vinified under temperature control. Maturation takes place over 12 months before the individual batches are blended and bottled.
