96pts Jeb Dunnuck

Yves’ 2022 Condrieu Les Chaillets is absolutely brilliant, and I'd put this up with the finest in the appellation. Ripe, intense aromatics of ripe pineapple, honeyed flowers, orange blossom, and subtle floral notes all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, beautiful concentration and depth, and one heck of a great finish. If you get a chance, buy it.

94pts Wine Spectator

Smoky, sultry, very briny version with silky texture to mostly savory flavors of herbs and simmering minerals. White peach and light apple fill out the creamy mid-palate, with heather and chamomile and long, winding, salt-kissed finish.

93pts James Suckling

A well-composed, poised and lively Condrieu. It shows notes of yellow plums, lemons, wild herbs and a touch of verbena. Medium-bodied with a succulent development. It’s textural and precise, with good volume on the mid-palate. Succulent and flavorful finish.

91pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Matured for nine months in equal parts barrels and foudres (wooden tanks), the 2022 Condrieu les Chaillets Vieilles Vignes reveals a dense, oaky bouquet of apricot, ripe white fruits and spices. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's enrobing with a slightly tannic core of fruit framed by oaky notes. Too oaky for my taste, this is a rather well-crafted but oak-dominated Condrieu.

Winemaker Notes

The Les Chaillets Condrieu consists of the best and oldest Viognier vines on the estate, on south/southeast-facing terraces overlooking Chavanay. Les Chaillets is not a district but the local name for the aforementioned terraces. Planted on biotite-rich granite soils, the Le Chaillets is fermented spontaneously using native yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is done in barrels and big casks that are temperature controlled. The wine spends an additional nine months on the lees (no battonage and no racking) in barrel and large casks before bottling.

This is a stunning Viognier and a reference point for the area. The wine features beguiling apricot and peach aromas interlaid with sweet spices, mineral notes from the soil, and hints of vanilla cream. The palate is fleshy and full with fresh notes of granitic minerality; a deep and complex wine that is an ideal accompaniment to rich shellfish dishes such as lobster or bouillabaisse.