Wine
Sweet wine from a late harvest using manual harvesting
Latest edition : 27 February 2024
Grape variety :
Viognier, average age of vines 30 years.
Eye :
Clear orange-yellow with golden reflections.
Nose :
Intense and ripe but with finesse, with the rich palette of seductive aromas of Viognier: mango, pears, quince, bergamot, peaches, apricot, violet, hawthorn blossom, toasted almonds, spices.
Mouth :
Gourmet, ample, fruity (peach, orange) with surprising freshness, finely peppery, good length.
Wine pairing :
Foie gras, tagine, truffled capon, roquefort, chocolate fondant, apricot tart, chocolate desserts.
Ground :
Granite. Slopes facing south, south-east in terraces.
Harvest:
Manual harvest in three successive sorts, the last of which took place on November 28, 2018.
Wine making :
Direct pressing in a pneumatic press, vinified in oak barrels and native yeasts with temperature control. Fermentation ends naturally to reach a balance of 13.5° alcohol with 110 grams of residual sugars.
Breeding :
Around 10 months in oak barrels.
The Christophe Pichon family estate in the northern Rhône Valley (Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region) is renowned for the quality of its wines in the different appellations: Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Côte -du-Rhône. Without forgetting some local wines.
Christophe Pichon served as president of the AOP Condrieu winegrowers' union for three terms. With his wife Isabelle, he took over his father's farm. Their sons Corentin, Alexis and Victor joined the estate. Thanks to the family know-how acquired over several decades, the family estate produces quality wines, full of finesse and elegance. The 30 hectare estate is labeled HVE3.
The Condrieu appellation only covers 220 hectares. The only grape variety, Viognier, grows on steep slopes on decomposed granite soils. The vines hang on terraces on the right bank of the Rhône, about forty kilometers south of Lyon. The steep slope, often more than 50%, requires manual labor. The wines produced offer richness and freshness, fruit and minerality. They are drunk young but the great vintages can be aged up to 20 years. They are enjoyed with foie gras, asparagus, frog legs, goat cheese or an apricot dessert.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for health. To consume with moderation.
Patience, AOP Condrieu, domaine Christophe Pichon Père et Fils, €34 ex cellar (37.5 cl)
Domaine Christophe Pichon Père et Fils, 3 Zone Viticole Jassoux-Grand Val,
42 410 Chavanay
tél. 04 28 04 00 10
www.domaine-pichon.fr