Grapelive Daily Pick
By Kerry Winslow
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2007 Guigal Condrieu “La Doriane” Rhone White (Viognier).
This is an amazingly complex and sublime wine that is very close to perfect, in fact it is a wine that rivals the worlds best. This wine is 100% Viognier made with 100% new French oak and full Malolactic fermentation, make it full-bodied and super rich, and lovely in every way. With question or any doubt this is one of the greatest white wines in the world period! The nose is perfumed and intense with jasmine, honeysuckle, dried white flowers to start and a palate that has edgy apricot, bacon, sweet pear and peach pit with a stoney grit and clarified butter cream. This wine has the class of Corton-Charlemagne and the power of a Batrard-Montrachet with the exotic nature of the Rhone thrown in, and I can say that it is still very young and will only get better with some cellar age. This is a succulent and vibrant wine that is ripe and round that would be even better with the right menu, especially Lobster! I swear it would be very tough to not pick this wine as my favorite wine of the year. ($109-120 Est.) 97 Points, grapelive
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