Domaine Georges Vernay - Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire 2024

Bettane & Desseauve

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

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

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

About the wine:

A balance of richness and freshness. Alluring notes of honeysuckle and flowers give way to aromas of persimmon, orange, and melon, all enhanced by hints of fresh fennel, dried thyme, and oregano. This wine displays real concentration and brims with energy and bitter mineral notes, with a subtle hint of buttercream. The finish is long and complex. Enjoy now through 2030.

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

About the wine:

Distinct aromas of lemon zest, red apple, spring flowers, and apricot open the 2024 Condrieu Les Terrasses de L'Empire, a young, medium-bodied Condrieu that is fresh and captivatingly aromatic, finishing with a savory, exquisitely delicate aftertaste.

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck