Domaine Georges Vernay - Côte-Rôtie Blonde du Seigneur 2022

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 since she had just returned to the estate. Despite the weather’s vagaries, the year proved highly successful for the whites, with well-defined mineral notes. It’s a vintage that showcases all the splendor of the Vernon hillside.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

A co-fermented blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, the 2022 Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur offers a complex, fresh, and elegant bouquet of spices, smoke, violets, roses, and dark wild berries, intertwined with a hint of herbs. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, taut, and juicy, it is elegant, with a subtle tannic structure, good depth at the core, and a taut, energetic mid-palate leading to a long, salty, and appetizing finish. Fermented with 10% whole clusters and made from vines planted in Coteaux de Semmons, Bassenon, and the young vines of Maison Rouge, this classic, well-crafted, and surprising Côte-Rôtie was aged in barrels, 10% of which were new.

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

About the estate:

Emma Amsellem is finding her footing 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 intimately linked to the history of the Condrieu appellation (it remains its most brilliant representative), it also offers a remarkable selection of reds, whose aging processes have become more refined in recent years. Tasting a Condrieu vintage here that’s a good decade old helps one understand the potential of this terroir, which is all too often overshadowed by the varietal notes of Viognier. The energy and potential embodied in the estate’s wines set the standard.

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Deep blue-violet color. Classic Syrah aromas of black pepper and olive brine, accompanied by notes of juicy blueberry and plum, incense, and hibiscus tea. Lively, with refreshing acidity and grainy tannins. It has a long aging potential, but can be enjoyed now.

Vinous

About the wine:

Intense aromas of violet, black cherry, red cherry, cedar, and a hint of grapefruit make up the aromatic profile of the 2022 Côte-Rôtie Blonde du Seigneur. Smooth and concentrated, this delightful 2022 is a refined Côte-Rôtie crafted by Christine and Emma Amsellem Vernay. Co-fermented with 5% Viognier and made using approximately 5% whole clusters, the 2022 was bottled in July 2024 after aging for 18 months in a combination of old oak barrels.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A well-structured, full-bodied, and linear Côte-Rôtie, made from 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, that reveals aromas of black cherries, roasted meat, and baking spices. It is medium-bodied, with fine, firm tannins. The palate is dense, with notes of dark berries and abundant spices. It is concentrated, with a lively, vibrant, and succulent character. The finish is lingering.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Blended with 5% Viognier and sourced exclusively from the southern part of the appellation (Maison Rouge, Lancement, Bassenon), the 2022 Côte Rôtie Blonde Du Seigneur offers an extra touch of class and elegance compared to the Saint Joseph, with aromas of ripe blackberries, a smoky bouquet garni, floral notes, and hints of game. These aromas carry through into a medium-bodied to full-bodied Côte Rôtie, which offers a vibrant and lively palate, beautiful tannins, and well-integrated acidity. This is a classic Côte Rôtie that will continue to evolve for two decades. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2045.