Domaine Georges Vernay - Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire 2023
17,5/20
Jancis Robinson
94/100
Jeb Dunnuck
93/100
RVF
93/100
Wine Spectator
92/100
Vinous
91/100
Bettane & Desseauve
“A sumptuous vintage with unmistakable aromas!”
“Intoxicating flavors and aromas of lemon blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle, ripe peach, and apricot juice. There is a certain richness, but it is balanced by a rather refreshing acidity. This wine is very well-balanced for a Condrieu and could age longer than I had anticipated. ” (Jancis Robinson 2025)
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Eye
Straw-yellow color with subtle green highlights
Nose
Fruity, with distinctive notes of white peach, apricot pits, and white almonds, all with great finesse
Palate
An elegant wine, exceptionally well-balanced and beautifully fresh, best enjoyed while young
Serve
At 12-14°C
Open
30 minutes before
Drink before
2033
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with river fish, pike dumplings, curried shrimp, asparagus with morels, or an apricot tart...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2026 guide) 91/100
5-Star Estate (Exceptional producers who represent the absolute pinnacle of quality in France and around the world)
About the estate:
Emma Amsellem joined her mother, Christine Vernay, to showcase the rugged slopes of Condrieu and Côte Rôtie—lands bathed in sunshine when frost doesn’t interfere, as it did in 2021, a vintage Emma isn’t likely to forget, having just returned to the estate. Despite the weather’s vagaries, the year was highly successful for the whites, with well-defined mineral notes. A vintage that showcases all the splendor of the Vernon hillside.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated estate (2025 guide) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2026 guide) 93/100
Rated estate (2026 guide) 3*Stars (These represent the pinnacle of French winemaking. The finest terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical experience)
About the estate:
Emma Amsellem is settling into her role at the helm of the estate, smoothly taking over from her mother, Christine Vernay, whose work since 1996 has been widely praised. While the estate is deeply intertwined with the history of the Condrieu appellation (and remains its finest example), it also offers a remarkable selection of reds, whose aging has become increasingly refined in recent years. Tasting a decade-old Condrieu here reveals the potential of this terroir, which is all too often overshadowed by the varietal notes of Viognier. The energy and potential found in the estate’s wines set the standard.
Wine Spectator
Wine rated (2026 guide) 93/100 (Exceptional wine)
Rated estate (2026 guide) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Wine Spectator)
About the wine:
A rich and full-bodied wine, where notes of peach and apricot cream mingle with heather, bitter almond, and green herbs. A salty, mineral undertone keeps the energy high, with notes of salted butter and smoke on the finish, providing a bitter contrast. Enjoy now through 2028.
Jancis Robinson
Wine rated (2025 guide) 17,5/20
Rated estate (2025 guide) Recommended
About the wine:
Intoxicating flavors and aromas of lemon blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle, ripe peach, and apricot juice. There is a certain richness, but it is balanced by a refreshing acidity. This wine is very well-balanced for a Condrieu and may age longer than I had anticipated.
Vinous
Wine rated (2024 guide) 92/100
Rated estate (2026 guide) Recommended
About the wine:
Fresh aromas of apricot, mango, spring flowers, banana, and a hint of jasmine introduce the 2023 Condrieu Les Terrasses de L'Empire, a medium-bodied Condrieu of captivating elegance. Touching the palate with a gentle aromatic concentration, the 2023 finishes with a slice of juicy apricot on a savory finish.
James Suckling
Rated estate (2025 guide) Recommended
Jeb Dunnuck
Wine rated (2025 guide) 94/100
Rated estate (2025 guide) Recommended
About the wine:
The 2023 Condrieu Les Terrasses De L'Empire is magnificent, with mineral aromas and flavors of grilled peach, muscat orange, and flowers. These carry through into a medium-bodied to full-bodied Condrieu that is beautifully balanced, with a complex palate and exceptional length. Best enjoyed within the next 7 to 8 years.
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