Bott Condrieu AOC 2022 (750ml) *

Condrieu means Viognier, grown on the steep northern Rhône slopes where the grape reaches its most perfumed and textural expression. This 2022 comes from Graeme and Julie Bott, made from purchased fruit that was fermented in barrel and then matured for nine months in large barrels, a gentle approach that lets the variety speak. It sits somewhere between medium and full in body, richly aromatic in the way good Condrieu tends to be.

The nose leads with spring blossom and honeysuckle, apricot and white fruits, threaded with a delicate spice. On the palate it's bright and precise, with an enrobing, sappy mid-palate and a finish that carries a faint phenolic grip. There's real balance here, tart stone fruit and orange blossom lifted by fresh acidity, the sort of white that wants a plate of food in front of it rather than a solitary glass.